October 2010 Archives
We could use your input on this one. Next week we all head to Alemany for Bishop Amat's Serra League title game, and have the Lancers ever looked better during the Hagerty era? Even Aram's wondering if the Lancers are Pac-5 championship good. I've always thought when they developed a potent offense to match their defensive intensity, they would be able to compete with anyone, and you're seeing that now, a 52-7 win over Notre Dame with QB Ruiz completing 22 of 24 for 346 yards and 5 touchdowns. Said Hagerty. "This was shocking in some respects because they're a great program. They've (Notre Dame) been the people we've been chasing. They put 52 on us a couple of years ago and I remember that well. Our kids have come a long way in a few short years and we're happy about that." BTW, I love West Covina, but those thinking this is the year they could beat Amat should leave it right there. They might be the best fit in terms of giving them a run for their money, but that's about it. Speaking of West Covina, is their game against Diamond Ranch game of the week material, or is it Covina visiting San Dimas for the Valle Vista League title? You also have El Monte and Arroyo meeting for first in the Mission Valley League, and Charter Oak and Chino Hills might not be for first, but it's a step-up game that both desperately need. Of those four, which is the best fit for game of the week? It's a tough choice, Mike "The Cousin" Robledo would like to know where he's setting up camp on Friday.
Friday's games
Glendora at Upland, 7:00pm
Los Altos at Diamond Bar, 7:00pm
Rowland at Bonita, 7:00pm
West Covina vs. Diamond Ranch at Ganesha, 7:00pm
Arroyo at El Monte, 7:00pm
Gabrielino at Mountain View, 7:00pm
South El Monte at Rosemead, 7:00pm
Duarte vs. Gladstone at Citrus College, 7:00pm
Ganesha at Sierra Vista, 7:00pm
La Puente at Bassett, 7:00pm
Workman vs. Azusa at La Puente, 7:00pm
Chino Hills at Charter Oak, 7:00pm
Damien at Ayala, 7:00pm
South Hills vs. Claremont at Covina District, 7:00pm
Covina at San Dimas, 7:00pm
Nogales at Baldwin Park, 7:00pm
Wilson at Pomona, 7:00pm
Northview at Walnut, 7:00pm
West Covina 55, Bonita 21 -- No matter which player Bonita High School's football team was chasing in Friday's showdown between the top two teams in the CIF-Southeast Division, West Covina's speedsters were faster to the finish line. Chris Solomon rushed for 190 yards and scored four touchdowns, including a 98-yard kickoff return in the closing seconds to provide the exclamation point to the top-ranked Bulldogs' 55-21 victory over the undefeated and No. 2 Bearcats. West Covina improved to 7-1 and 4-0, setting up a showdown next week with Diamond Ranch (5-3, 4-0) for sole possession of first place in the Hacienda League. (to continue, click thread)
Friday's results
Bishop Amat 52, Notre Dame 7 -- Rio Ruiz completed 20 straight passes at one point, finishing with five touchdowns and nearly 400 passing yards in the rout. He was 20 of 24 on the night.
Diamond Ranch 48, Los Altos 14 -- The Panthers quietly go to 4-0 in the Hacienda just like West Covina, setting up next week's game for sole possession of first at Ganesha.
Walnut 33, Rowland 28 -- The Raiders' playoff chances are bleak, while another solid win for the Mustangs, who look like they could steal the final playoff spot in the Hacienda.
Arroyo 49, Gabrielino 6 -- The Knights continue to cruise in the Mission Valley, setting up an intriguing game with El Monte next.
Rosemead 38, Mountain View 12 -- The Panthers needed this to feel good about their playoff hopes and got it.
El Monte 49, South El Monte 13 -- The Lions are tied for first with Arroyo at 3-0 heading into next week's meeting.
La Puente 33, Sierra Vista 21 - The Dons held a 21-20 halftime lead, but the Warriors rallied in the second half.
Workman 41, Duarte 7 -- The Lobos took care of the Falcons, who had five players suspended for disciplinary reasons.
Claremont 42, Ayala 13 -- Wolfpack closing in on Sierra League title
Charter Oak 31, Damien 17 -- The Huskies may have punched their playoff ticket with a win over the Spartans, and can move into sole possession of second with a win over Chino Hills next.
Chino Hills 51, South Hills 14 -- The CH Huskies have looked like world beaters since losing to Claremont.
Covina 21, Pomona 14 -- This Colts can win the Valle Vista league title outright with a win at San Dimas next.
Baldwin Park 49, Wilson 25 -- The Braves keep their playoff hopes alive with a convincing win after last week's tough loss to Covina.
Above: Northview's Marquise Thomas rushed for 173 yards and three TDs to lead Northview to a 41-14 victory over Nogales on Thursday.
Northview 41, Nogales 14
Northview High School knows the road to a CIF-Southern Section playoff bid is out of its hands.
But the Vikings did their part Thursday to stay in the hunt.
Marquise Thomas rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns and Northview stayed alive with a 41-14 victory over Nogales in a Valle Vista League game at Covina District Field.
Northview, also getting 58 yards rushing from Kyle Spears and a 70-yard scoring pass from Raymond Hernandez to Marcus Ellis, improved to 3-5 overall and 3-2 in league. The Vikings, who have lost to first-place Covina and second-place San Dimas, need to win their last two games and hope to finish in a tie for at least second with Baldwin Park, with whom they finish the season.
Nogales, which received 132 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Patrick Miranda, slipped to 1-7 and 0-4.
"We'll see what happens tomorrow night, and we'll go from there," Northview coach Marcel Perez said. "Our kids keep working, and obviously we still have Baldwin Park left, so we're still trying to fight."
Gladstone 21, Bassett 6
It wasn't pretty but Gladstone High School remained tied for second place and stayed on track to win its first Montview League football title since 2005 with a 21-6 victory over Bassett on Thursday night at Citrus College.
The Gladiators (4-4, 4-1) scored twice in the last 3:29 of the first half to break open a defensive struggle, then hung on for the win.
Jerry Gutierrez caused, then recovered
Azusa 51, Ganesha 7
Ganesha High School
But the Aztecs scored 51 unanswered points to knock off the Giants, 51-7, and improve to 8-0 remain unbeaten at 8-0 overall, 5-0 in league.
Ganesha (3-5, 2-3) took its lone lead of the game when Andy Baeza scored on a 2-yard run in the first quarter.
But after Giants quarterback Francis Terriantate was injured late in the second quarter, the offense never recovered. Terriantate had 53 yards on 11 carries and did not play in the second half.
Brian Nieto was the offensive star for Azusa (8-0, 5-0) with 118 yards on just seven carries. Nieto scored on runs of 1, 23 and 37 to pace an Aztecs offense that wasn't running on all cylinders, but was more than good enough to handle Ganesha.
Right said Fred: Now I'm waiting on Colts coach Darryl Thomas to say they put their pants on one leg at a time like the Saints ....
By Aram Tolegian
Besides Covina's parents, there probably was no bigger group of fans rooting for the Colts to beat Baldwin Park than that of San Dimas. After losing to Baldwin Park two weeks earlier, the Saints needed a Covina win to get back in the league championship race. They got it, and that sets the stage for next week's game against the Colts ... assuming Covina doesn't get upset by Pomona this week. (to continue click thread)
Above: Former Bishop Amat star John Jackson, shown here with son, John, will speak at the Pasadena Quarterbacks Club on Friday at Brookside Golf Club Restaurant. The weekly luncheon is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. Cost for lunch is $25 for members and $20 for non-members.
John Jackson knows a thing or two about tradition.
He attended and played for arguably two of the more-storied institutions in football - Bishop Amat on the high school level, and USC on the collegiate level.
The All-CIF-Southern Section and All-Pac-10 player will reflect on his background on Friday when he speaks at the Pasadena Quarterbacks Club at Brookside Country Club.
The weekly luncheon, which begins at 11:45 a.m., also will feature Alhambra High School football coach Lou Torres. The cost for lunch is $25 for members and $30 for non-members.
Jackson, who also played baseball for Bishop Amat and USC, first made a name for himself when he earned All-CIF honors in 1984 and helped the Lancers reach the second round of the CIF-SS playoffs.
The Brooklyn, N.Y. native, who grew up in Diamond Bar, was All-Pac-10 at receiver in 1989 and lettered all four years for the Trojans. When he left after the 1989 season, he was the school's all-time leader with 163 receptions for 2,379 yards and 17 touchdowns. He's now eighth.
Jackson, whose 14 catches against Notre Dame in 1989 are the most by a visiting receiver in Notre Dame Stadium, spent three seasons in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears, before moving on to the broadcasting industry. Jackson is the sideline reporter for USC games on ESPN Radio 710 and an analyst for FSN Prime Ticket's high school game of the week.
- Steve Ramirez
The SGVN crew spent the morning at the CIF-Southern Section office (partly because it included a continental breakfast and lunch), but also because it was a great opportunity for reporters across the Southern Section to listen how the Section operates and for us to ask questions. It was very informative in helping understand the CIF bluebook, how they rule on the eligibility of transfers, how they place teams in playoff divisions, how they put brackets together, etc, etc. There was so much information shared, so kudos to CIF and particularly spokesperson Thom Simmons for putting it together. In fact, I was invited by CIF to sit in on Saturday's pairings day (the day before pairings are released on Sunday) to observe how brackets are put together for playoff divisions and listen in on the conversations in terms of who plays who, and how they decide at-large berths. I can't share what I observed until the pairings are released, but I would love to come back on Monday and share how the process worked which obviously makes my job of answering your questions about at-large, seedings and placements much easier.
Priceless: Found this picture hanging at the CIF office of Bishop Amat's Pat Haden accepting the CIF trophy after the Lancers' 1970 championship...
You want answers: There was a fairly heated exchange at today's meeting when a reporter asked commissioner Jim Staunton about CIF transfer rulings. When CIF makes a decision on a transfer, it does not follow with a written explanation, they simply make a ruling. The reporter wanted to know what state or federal law CIF was citing for prohibiting them from giving a written or verbal explanation, especially to reporters, after a ruling. Staunton didn't address the legal aspect, but simply said they do not talk about the specifics of decisions. Simmons said they do not offer written or verbal explanations because it involves confidential information. Fair enough, but the reporter said the reader has a right to know, so lets ask you...
Reporting scores: CIF is in the process of creating a database for schools/coaches to call in results for all sports so that scores and standings are easily accessible on CIF's webpage, which is something that would benefit all of us. Imagine being able to go to CIF's website to find results of soccer games played earlier in the day? Enforcing schools to call in results is a different story. It would be nice if the member schools proposed a rule that would require member schools to call in results to CIF. If the member schools could write it into bluebook law, it would be much easier for CIF to enforce it.
Soccer ties or not ties: I learned something all soccer coaches need to know when posting results. When soccer teams are in winter tournaments and ties are decided on penalty kicks, neither team should be credited with a win or a loss, it should simply be a tie. However, if it's a tournament championship game decided on penalty kicks, the winning team can credit itself with a victory and the losing team must take the loss.
In closing: Whether we agree or disagree with a variety of CIF's decisions, they care about high school athletics and care about making the best decision they can. Maybe I'm getting soft but the more you talk to people face to face, the better you understand where they're coming from.
FYI: Mike "The Cousin" Robledo and the Inland Insider, Chino Hills Tom will be at Bonita vs. West Covina to give it the full coverage it deserves, but we also will have Coveritlive updates from both Bishop Amat-Notre Dame and Charter Oak-Damien.
"He's not as athletic and doesn't move around as well as Chad Jeffries (Glendora) or Michael Ball (Rowland), but he makes good reads. It looks like he's a smart kid, who makes good decisions. He plays with a lot of confidence and can throw the ball all over the field." -- West Covina coach Mike Maggiore on Bonita QB Garrett Pendleton.
By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
West Covina High School football coach Mike Maggiore has seen the tapes and now it's time for he and his staff to figure out a way to stop undefeated Bonita in Friday's Hacienda League showdown. "Offensively, they are very balanced," Maggiore said of the Bearcats' offense, which is averaging 37 points per game. "Most high school teams have one go-to guy, but Bonita seems like they all take turns. That makes it tough to defend."
Above: Let out the balloons, the Knights are in the top ten.
1. Bishop Amat (8-0) -- The trap game is no longer at Loyola, it's at home against Notre Dame. For the love of Kiefer, the Lancers can't go undefeated at home for three years and lose this one before the big showdown at Alemany in two weeks can they?
2. West Covina (6-1) -- The Bulldogs haven't had to prove anything since sweeping Venice, Glendora, South Hills and Rowland. Looking back, those teams are struggling now. Guess what, Bonita ain't struggling.
3. Bonita (7-0) -- They do everything undefeated teams are supposed to do, play with passion, play defense, believe when their superstars are sitting on the sidelines with injures. That's the M.O., for championships, and another reason I'm picking them against West Covina on Friday.
4. Claremont (6-1) -- After beating Chino Hills and Charter Oak, might as well give them the Sierra League trophy. This is an extremely dangerous team. If they get their running game going, nobody is having a better year than their quarterback Dan Kessler. Plus, defensively, they hold their own.
5. Chino Hills (5-2) -- Quietly and confidently the Huskies claw their way back, destroying Damien after losing the Sierra opener to Claremont. When Chino Hills and Charter Oak meet, that's for second, not first.
6. Covina (7-1) -- The Colts deserve a bump in the poll after taking care of Baldwin Park, showing their first-season win over West Covina was no fluke. If they don't win the Mid-Valley this year, they have enough underclassmen to be the favorite next year.
7. Azusa (7-0) -- The Aztecs are good and we know they're good, but until they compete against the upper-echelon teams in the division, we won't know how good until the playoffs arrive.
8. Charter Oak (4-3) -- Even Chargers fans have to admit it's tiring losing the "must games." The Chargers are talented enough to be 7-0 or at the very least 6-1, but they're 0-3 in the toss-up games against Glendora, Rancho Cucamonga and Claremont.
9. Diamond Ranch (4-3) -- I can hear Diamond Ranch fans screaming at me for not paying attention to their four-game win streak, for not acknowledging they're in the race for the Hacienda too. Be patient, we can only cover one Hacienda blockbuster at a time, your day is coming.
10. Arroyo (6-1) -- Look who's finally cracked the top ten. They should stay here for a while too, nobody else is coming within three touchdowns of them in the Mission Valley League.
The Rest:11. Damien (4-3), 12. Glendora (4-3), 13. San Dimas (5-3), 14. Diamond Bar (5-3), 15. Rowland (4-4), 16. South Hills (2-5), 17. Ayala (4-3), 18. Walnut (3-4), 19. Baldwin Park (2-5), 20. Rosemead (4-3), 21. La Puente (5-2), 22. Wilson (4-3), 23. Northview (2-5), 24. Pomona (3-4), 25. El Monte (3-4), 26. Gladstone (3-4), 27. Sierra Vista (5-2), 28. Ganesha (3-4), 29. Mountain View (4-3), 30. Nogales (1-6), 31. South El Monte (1-6), 32. Bassett (3-4), 33. Workman (1-6), 34. Los Altos (0-7), 35. Duarte (0-6).
Great game highlights and commentary from Bishop Amat's win over Crespi..
GLENDORA -- St. Lucy's High School believed it left a lot on the table when it was swept by Chino Hills earlier this month.
The Regents showed how much Tuesday night.
Deanna Dalton had 12 kills and Jasmine Warmington had nine and St. Lucy's moved into a first-place tie with the visiting Huskies after rallying for a 20-25, 26-24, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11 victory in a battle between the top two girls volleyball teams in the Sierra League.
The Regents, also getting seven kills each from Megan Callen and Mandara Hogarth, improved to 15-6 overall and 6-1 in league play. They rallied from one game down and a four-point deficit in the deciding game, using a 13-4 run before winning it, 15-11, on a mis-hit.
Chino Hills, which swept St. Lucy's on Oct. 7, slipped to 23-5 and 6-1. The Huskies, who received nine kills from Heather Trueman and seven from Karly Shockey, had its 11-match winning streak snapped, losing for the first time since Oct. 1.
St. Lucy's coach Sean Douglas: "It was just believing in ourselves. A lot of times it's us, our mistakes, our errors. Chino Hills is a great team, and they push you. But if we take care of ourselves, we can go toe-to-toe with them. If we play like the last time we (faced Chino Hills), we're in trouble. But when we're in control, where able to put the ball away."
Chino Hills coach Dana Buzzerio: "They had some successful hits, and our defense was a little flat-footed. We let them get momentum. We led each game, but we backed up."
Other Scores
Baseline League
Glendora def. Etiwanda 25-13, 25-23, 25-14
Hacienda League
Bonita def. Walnut 25-17, 25-23, 25-23
Diamond Bar def. Rowland 25-17, 25-21, 25-12.
Montview League
Gladstone def. Bassett 25-8, 25-19, 25-11
Azusa def. Ganesha 23-25, 25-18, 27-25, 25-16.
La Puente def. Sierra Vista 25-21, 25-19, 25-10.
Valle Vista League
San Dimas def. Northview 25-18, 26-24, 25-16.
Here's this week's Girls Volleyball Top 10:
1. Chino Hills (23-3) -- The Huskies continue to roll, although they have been stretched a bit in recent weeks. They play at St. Lucy's tonight for first place in the Sierra League.
2. St. Lucy's (14-6) --The Regents, ranked No. 1 until being swept by Chino Hills, has been on fire lately, finishing second to Los Osos in the Ayala Tournament on Saturday. We'll see if they can keep it going tonight.
3. Bonita (17-3) -- The Bearcats are on track for another league title, which another run to the divisional finals well within their reach.
4. Los Altos (16-4) -- The Conquerors are starting to find their second wind, winning five of their past six, with the lone loss a five-game setback to first-place Bonita.
5. San Dimas (17-4) -- The Saints have cruised through the Valle Vista League. They get a test against second-place Northview tonight.
6. Ayala (11-8) -- The Bulldogs have been steady lately, losing league matches to stalwarts Chino Hills and St. Lucy's in the past few weeks.
7. South Hills (11-8) -- Huskies suffered a rare loss in three games last week after being swept at home by St. Lucy's. They get a key battle against Ayala tonight, which is expected to decide third in a rugged Sierra.
8. La Puente (12-4) -- The Warriors dropped an early Montview League setback to Gladstone in September. They haven't lost since, and look like locks for another league title.
9. El Monte (12-2) -- The Lions make their first appearance in the top 10. They are having a solid season, and will go for first place against Mission Valley League favorite Gabrielino next week.
10. Walnut (9-8) -- The Mustangs, a top five team in recent years, slumped out the gate, but has picked up steam lately, and is challenging Los Altos for second place in the Hacienda League. They close with Los Altos, which will decide second place behind Bonita.
NOTE: Rankings are through matches of Monday, Oct. 25. Records are those reported to this newspaper.
"West Covina is a really good team. They're really athletic. Their running backs are all studs. They're going to be a real good test, but we'll be ready, though. I think we can wear them out with our spread. I'm real confident. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be the starting quarterback for a 7-0 team." -- Bonita quarterback Garrett Pendleton
Covina graduate Jim Hanifan, who won a Super Bowl as an offensive line coach for the Washington Redskins (1991) and St. Louis Rams (2000), will be a guest speaker at Covina's alumni dinner Thursday at Casa Moreno's restaurant in downtown Covina. Hanifan, who led the nation in receiving yards in 1954 at Cal, began his coaching career at Charter Oak High School, where he was head coach from 1959-65 before becoming an assistant at the University of Utah. Hanifan also will be an honorary captain when the Colts host Pomona in Friday's homecoming at Covina District Field. (To continue, click thread).
La Verne Lutheran's Bruce English, a senior for the Trojans boys basketball team that won the CIF State Division V championships last year, has committed to play at nearby Loyola Marymount. Coach Eric Cooper also said that forward Xavier Jones has received an offer from West Point that the senior is considering. English also hit the game-winning shot to help the Trojans with the Division VAA championship, the Trojans' second in three years.
By Steve Ramirez, Staff Writer
Glendora High School fielded one of the top boys cross country teams in the CIF-Southern Section last season. The Tartans girls team is making its own name for itself this season, and showed its ability with a solid effort at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational on Saturday. Glendora, featuring reigning all-area Girls Runner of the Year Lauren Justus, set a school course record, finishing 13th in the individual sweepstakes with a time of 97 minutes, 22 seconds.
Continue reading Cross Country: Glendora girls have come long way.
CIF-Southern Section Football Polls
Above: There were so many people telling me on Thursday that Colts' all-everything Vinny Venegas is the straw that stirs their drink.
Pac-5 Division
1. Mission Viejo (South Coast) 7-0 Bye
2. Servite (Trinity) 7-0 Won St. John Bosco 32-24
3. Bishop Amat 8-0 Won Loyola 41-31
4. Alemany (Serra) 7-0 Won Crespi 28-17
5. Santa Margarita (Trinity) 6-1 Won JSerra 35-14
6. Poly/Long Beach (Noore) 5-2 Won Millikan 59-0
7. Lakewood (Moore) 7-1 Won Jordan 42-28
8. Mater Dei (Trinity) 5-2 Won Orange Lutheran 28-14
9. Tesoro (South Coast) 6-1 Won Trabuco Hills 21-14
10. San Clemente (South Coast) 7-1 Won Dana Hills 42-28
Robledo's thoughts: How could the Lancers complain, if they take care of business the final two games they should be assured a top four seed.
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
1. West Covina (Hacienda) 6-1 Won Los Altos 48-7
2. Bonita (Hacienda) 7-0 Won Walnut 44-14
3. La Serna (Del Rio) 6-1 Won Santa Fe 38-0
4. Diamond Ranch (Hacienda) 4-3 Bye
5. La Mirada (Suburban) 4-3 Bye
6. Mayfair (Suburban) 5-3 Won Bellflower 35-0
7. Norwalk (Suburban) 4-3 Won Glenn 64-7
8. Arcadia (Pacific) 4-3 Won Burbank 48-20
9. Burbank (Pacific) 5-2 Lost Arcadia 20-48
10. Burroughs/Burbank (Pacific) 4-3 Won Glendale 35-6
Robledo's thoughts: You know it's not unrealistic to think that after an 0-3 start Diamond Ranch could end up the top seed when all is finished. The Panthers are No. 4 with games against No. 1 and No. 2 still to come. West Covina and Bonita are where they should be, now we get the rare opportunity of watching who deserves No. 1 on Friday.
Inland Division
1. Centennial/Corona (Big VIII) 7-0 Won Santiago/Corona 69-13
2. Vista Murrieta (Southwestern) 6-1 Won Temecula Valley 33-22
3. Rancho Cucamonga (Baseline) 6-1 Won Alta Loma 43-0
4. Roosevelt (Big VIII) 6-1 Won Corona 56-35
5. Norco (Big VIII) 6-1 Won M.L. King, Jr. 35-15
6. Claremont (Sierra) 6-1 Won Charter Oak 35-32
7. Upland (Baseline) 5-2 Won Etiwanda 53-34
8. Chino Hills (Sierra) 5-2 Won Damien 42-7
9. Redlands East Valley (Citrus Belt) 5-2 Won Eisenhower 48-12
10. Redlands (Citrus Belt) 5-1-1 Won Yucaipa 23-13
Robledo's thoughts: For the first time in forever, looks like Gano, Bogan and Farrar might not have anything to do on Thanksgiving. Only the winner of the Sierra has a realistic chance of doing anything, and right now that looks like Claremont.
MID-VALLEY DIVISION
1. Azusa (Montview) 7-0 Won Duarte 46-0
2. Monrovia (Rio Hondo) 5-2 Won San Marino 56-0
3. Arroyo (Mission Valley) 6-1 Won Rosemead 35-21
4. Whittier Christian (Olympic) 6-1 Bye
5. Covina (Valle Vista) 7-1 Won Baldwin Park 17-9
6. San Dimas (Valle Vista) 5-3 Won Northview 43-0
7. Vallley Christian/Cerritos 5-3 Won Maranatha 70-64 (5 OT)
8. Village Christian (Olympic) 5-2 Won Los Angeles Baptist 56-19
9. Schurr (Almont) 4-3 Won Alhambra 44-13
10. Maranatha (Olympic) 5-3 Lost Valley Christian/Cerritos 64-70 (5 OT)
Robledo's thoughts: There is no way anyone with one loss deserves to be ranked ahead of Covina, and that includes two-loss Monrovia and one-loss Arroyo and Whittier Christian. Covina has a victory over West Covina, No. 1 in the Southeast and over Baldwin Park, the team that beat defending champion San Dimas, you know the team that Monrovia couldn't defeat. Covina owns a victory better than any win Arroyo, Whittier Christian, Azusa, or Monrovia has on its resume, plus a solid No. 2 win over Baldwin Park. Why they're not No. 1 or the very least No. 2 doesn't make any sense. It reminds me of the way Rosemead was voted down in the polls in 2008 before running the table to the Mid-Valley title game.
Thanks to all of our loyal prep fans in the SGVN, we know you had something to do with this: The San Gabriel Valley Tribune's total paid circulation has grown significantly over the past year, according to figures released Monday by the Audit Bureau of Circulations.The Tribune's total paid circulation grew by 11.19 percent daily and 2.29 percent on Sundays, according to the audit bureau. Both growth rates are among the highest for daily newspapers in Southern California. Traffic to sgvtribune.com, which is not included in the audit figures, has also increased from last year. Year to date, page views have increased more than 26 percent and unique visits are up by nearly 28 percent.
Steve and I will go head-to-head in Tribskin Pick'em throughout the season for our annual dinner bet. I lead the overall series, two years to one.
Last Week: Robledo (14-4); Ramirez (13-5).
Season: Robledo (122-42); Ramirez (116-48).
Last week: Some Claremont coaches caught me leaving Charter Oak on Friday and said to keep picking against them and they will keep winning. Sorry, not sure I'm picking against them again. Not only did Steve and I miss Claremont's win over Charter Oak, we both looked foolish taking Loyola over Bishop Amat. However, few could have predicted Diamond Bar beating Rowland and Gladstone beating Sierra Vista. I picked up an extra win taking Covina while Steve took Baldwin Park.
This week: I haven't seen Bonita but have been impressed with West Covina in the games I saw against South Hills and Rowland. However, knowing that Bonita defeated a darn-good Claremont team and what they've done to everyone else, I'm taking the Bearcats. They had three blocks in Friday's blowout over Walnut -- that tells me something about their effort, not to mention how opportune they've been all season, getting four picks on Friday as well. This sounds like a team with a chip on its shoulder and more to prove, plus they're undefeated, something I'm sure they're not ready to give up. The Sierra League playoff race heats up with four 1-1 teams going head-to-head. I like Charter Oak over Damien because of too much offense, and Chino Hills over South Hills because the Huskies give up too many points. Bishop Amat should not lose its regular season home finale, not with a two-week break to get ready for Alemany on the road. A loss would be a disaster, and no way for Hagerty to lose his first at Kiefer.
Thursday's games
Azusa at Ganesha, 7: p.m. -- Robledo (Azusa); Ramirez (Azusa)
Bassett vs. Gladstone at Citrus College, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Gladstone); Ramirez (Gladstone)
Nogales vs. Northview at CDF, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Northview); Ramirez (Northview)
Friday's games
Glendora vs. Alta Loma at Citrus College, 7 p.m. - Robledo (Glendora); Ramirez (Glendora)
Bonita at West Covina, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Bonita); Ramirez (West Covina)
Diamond Ranch at Los Altos, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (DRanch); Ramirez (DRanch)
Rowland at Walnut, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Walnut); Ramirez (Rowland)
Arroyo at Gabrielino, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Arroyo); Ramirez (Arroyo)
Rosemead at Mountain View, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Rosemead); Ramirez (Rosemead)
South El Monte at El Monte, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (El Monte); Ramirez (El Monte)
La Puente at Sierra Vista, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (La Puente); Ramirez (La Puente)
Workman vs. Duarte at La Puente, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Workman); Ramirez (Workman)
Notre Dame at Bishop Amat, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (BAmat); Ramirez (BAmat)
Ayala at Claremont, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Claremont); Ramirez (Claremont)
Charter Oak at Damien, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Charter Oak); Ramirez (Ch. Oak)
South Hills at Chino Hills, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (CHills); Ramirez (CHills)
Pomona vs. Covina at Covina District, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Covina); Ramirez (Covina)
Wilson at Baldwin Park, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (BPark); Ramirez (BPark)
I was caught by surprise when South Hills sophomore transfer Aaron Vaughns made his debut for Charter Oak on Friday, getting four carries for 17 yards in their loss to Claremont. The junior running back was one of four South Hills players to transfer and with his approval, all four who left the Huskies have been cleared by the CIF-Southern Section, which include Brock Booth and Randall Varella to Bishop Amat, and receiver Chris Gilchrist and now Vaughns to Charter Oak. Vaughns was apparently granted a valid change of address transfer on Oct. 13.
By Andrew J. Campa
Glendora senior Lauren Justus competed in the individual event in a field that included Rancho Bernardo standout Molly Grabill, who's never lost a varsity race. Grabill, as expected, won in 17:07. Justus, however, was impressive in finishing sixth in a personal-best 17:53. She nearly collapsed at the finish line. "My previous PR was an 18:06. It was so hard but I wanted it," Justus said. "We had a (Baseline) league meet Wednesday, so I was a little fatigued."
After eight weeks Bishop Amat (8-0), Bonita (7-0) and Azusa (7-0) are the last remaining undefeated football teams in the Valley and its not unthinkable all three could run the table in their own playoff divisions, though unlikely more than one could, so who's 0 will be the last to go? Azusa is the safe bet because they're absolutely going 10-0 and will win their first playoff game, but how far can they go after that? You would probably say no to Bonita because they're at No. 1 West Covina on Friday, a game I'm still not ready to predict until I sit down with Aram for Monday's drill. But if Bonita wins, they're my best bet to run the table and go 14-0. After beating Claremont and West Covina, how could you bet against them the rest of the way? Bishop Amat is the worst bet, they still have undefeated Alemany on the road in the league finale, then the anything can happen on any given Pac-5 Friday makes their chances even tougher. But this is also true, the Lancers have looked so good through eight weeks they could lose and still keep the top spot in our poll, though I'm sure I would hear a mouthfull from Aram making the "Bonita" argument.
CalPreps Predictions on Friday
Projection: Bonita 35, West Covina 26
Projection: Azusa 48, Ganesha 8
Projection: Bishop Amat 38, Notre Dame 21
Thursday's games
Azusa at Ganesha, 7:00pm
Bassett vs. Gladstone at Citrus College, 7:00pm
Nogales vs. Northview at Covina District Stadium, 7:00pm
Friday's games
Glendora vs. Alta Loma at Citrus College, 7:00pm
Bonita at West Covina, 7:00pm
Diamond Ranch at Los Altos, 7:00pm
Rowland at Walnut, 7:00pm
Arroyo at Gabrielino, 7:00pm
Rosemead at Mountain View, 7:00pm
South El Monte at El Monte, 7:00pm
La Puente at Sierra Vista, 7:00pm
Workman vs. Duarte at La Puente, 7:00pm
Notre Dame at Bishop Amat, 7:00pm
Ayala at Claremont, 7:00pm
Charter Oak at Damien, 7:00pm
South Hills at Chino Hills, 7:00pm
Pomona vs. Covina at Covina District, 7:00pm
Wilson at Baldwin Park, 7:00pm
For quarter updates of tonight's games, click link.
Tonight's Results
Claremont 35, Charter Oak 32 -- Chargers missed a game-tying 42-yard field goal with seven seconds left. Claremont quarterback Daniel Kessler outdualed Charter Oak's Travis Santiago. Kessler threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns, Santiago finished with 332 yards and two touchdowns. BTW, South Hills transfer RB Aaren Vaughns saw some action for the Chargers.
Arroyo 35, Rosemead 21 -- The Knights are well on their way to a second straight Mission Valley League title a with win over their latest rival.
Los Osos 38, Glendora 21 -- Grizzlies hand the Tartans their second straight Baseline loss.
Diamond Bar 46, Rowland 33 -- Shocker of the night, Brahmas score 29 consecutive points to shock the Raiders, who are in a fight for their playoff lives.
Chino Hills 42, Damien 7 -- When the Spartans get beat, they get beat bad. However, this is what you expected from the Huskies all along.
Bishop Amat 41, Loyola 31 -- Junior Jalen Moore rushed for 278 yards and four touchdowns and quarterback Rio Ruiz threw for two scores as Bishop Amat stayed perfect with a 41-31 victory over rival Loyola in a Serra League game at Los Angeles Valley College.
West Covina 48, Los Altos 7 -- The No. 1 Bulldogs cruise to an easy victory as it gets ready to host Southeast No. 2 Bonita next week.
Bonita 44, Walnut 14 -- The Bearcats roll past another league foe, now the stretch run begins against mighty W.C.
El Monte 31, Gabrielino 19-- Lions rallied after trailing 19-7 in the fourth quarter to pull out a win that keeps them in playoff contention.
Mountain View 21, South El Monte 7 -- The Vikings are quietly having a pretty good season considering the misfortune they've had in recent years.
Azusa 46, Duarte 0 - There was a running clock in the second half as everyone played for the Aztecs.
La Puente 54, Ganesha 20 -- Warriors out to prove they're the second best in Montview after Azusa. Hard to argue with the results.
Gladstone 9, Sierra Vista 7 -- Who would of thought it would be this low scoring? Huge win for the Gladiators, who give Dons just their second loss.
Bassett 28, Workman 6 -- Don't know if you would call it an upset, but the lopsided score is a surprise.
South Hills 36, Ayala 33 -- Bet the second win of the season never felt so good for the Huskies, who are still in the Sierra League playoff hunt. But they play Chino Hills next, followed by Claremont and Charter Oak. Ouch.
Wilson 37, Nogales 6 -- In the battle between Valle Vista newbies, the Wildcats finally secure first league win.
San Dimas 43, Northview 0 -- Saints feeling good after Covina's win over Baldwin Park. Saints still in the thick of the VVL race.
The Inland Insider, Chino Hills Tom reporting from Chino Hills, Damien ...
Highlights and interviews from Arroyo, Rosemead
Colts all-everything quarterback Billy Livingston got his bell run on what appeared to be a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit late in the second quarter with a not so comfortable 10-9 lead. Even worse, Livingston was led away by ambulance to a nearby hospital at half for precautionary reasons, the Colts' chances seemingly going with him. But guess what, the Valley found out who Vinny Vinegas is, the junior running back carrying the Colts in the second half, helping them grind out a 17-9 victory. The Colts' defense was great too, forcing an early third quarter fumble and posting a second half shutout. These aren't the finesse Colts we called them earlier in the day, they took the Braves' best punches and by the end of the third quarter, were returning the punishment with regularity. You have to give the Colts their due now, no team in the Mid-Valley Division can boast a pair of wins the quality of West Covina and Baldwin Park. We called it their coming out party, that's just what it was. By the way, why helmet-to-helmet hits aren't illegal in high school football is a thread for another day, there were too many to count. Those there saw it and heard it, I guarantee you that.
By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
Before the Bonita High School football team can start thinking about its showdown with West Covina in two weeks, it has a dangerous proposition to deal with in Walnut on Friday night. The Bearcats know all too well what Walnut is capable of, thanks to last year's 30-15 loss to the Mustangs. That was when the teams were in different leagues. Now they're both in the Hacienda League, and at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in league, Walnut is a desperate team.
By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
As if the stakes in Friday's showdown with rival Rosemead weren't high enough, the Arroyo High School football team may have a lot more on the line than the Mission Valley League title. At 5-1, the Knights have a chance to finish the season 9-1 if they can get past the Panthers and win their next three games, in which they'd be heavily favored, but that's the kind of talk that gets teams beat, so Knights coach Jim Singiser doesn't want to hear any of it this week.
Above: Claremont QB Daniel Kessler leads the area with 1,820 yards and 20 touchdowns. He will be put to the test Friday at Charter Oak in the game of the week.
1. Bishop Amat (7-0) -- Jalen Moore is running with the confidence that a great Amat back should. The Lancers are old school, combining great defense with a grind-it-out offense. If you're watching the best part is there is still so much room to improve.
2. West Covina (5-1) -- Poor Los Altos, they have to travel to West Covina after the Bulldogs' bye week.
3. Bonita (6-0) -- Whoever put the Bearcats schedule together was brilliant. They should get to 7-0 with a home win against Walnut, them comes the stretch run against Rowland, West Covina and Diamond Ranch.
4. Claremont (5-1) -- On paper they have become the Sierra League favorites, that's what a win over Chino Hills gets you. Now, if RB Taj Teague is healthy and ready to go, this team is downright scary.
5. Charter Oak (4-2) -- Let's see, a 17-0 win over Ayala followed by a 54-7 thrashing over Ayala. If history tells us anything, it's that the Chargers always get better late in the season. If they continue to play defense, they're as competitive as anyone in the Inland Division.
6. Chino Hills (4-2) -- What happened to the unbeatable Huskies? They get Damien next, if they stumble again, they're suddenly in a fight for their playoff lives.
7. Glendora (4-2) -- The Tartans can score with the best of them, but they're too easy to score on against the type of competition they have to face week in and week out.
8. Azusa (6-0) -- If the Aztecs wanted to score 100 points on Duarte this week, they probably could. This is the one game where a running clock should be considered before the game starts.
9. Covina (6-1) -- The Colts are one of a handful of teams with a realistic shot at winning the Mid-Valley Division. They become favorites if they can defeat Baldwin Park and San Dimas in the coming weeks.
10. Damien (4-2) -- Truth is, the Spartans' only two losses came against Pac-5 Teams. And they have wins over Diamond Ranch and South Hills. Don't count coach Greg Gano out just yet.
The Rest: 11. Diamond Ranch (4-3), 12. Rowland (4-3), 13. Arroyo (5-1), 14. Ayala (4-2), 15. Baldwin Park (2-4), 16. San Dimas (4-3), 17. Rosemead (4-2), 18. Walnut (3-3), 19. South Hills (1-5), 20. Sierra Vista (5-1), 21. Diamond Bar (4-3), 22. La Puente (4-2), 23. Northview (2-4), 24. Wilson (3-3), 25. Pomona (3-4), 26. Ganesha (3-3), 27. Mountain View (3-3), 28. Gladstone (2-3), 29. El Monte (2-4), 30. Nogales (1-5), 31. South El Monte (1-5), 32. Los Altos (0-6), 33. Bassett (2-4), 34. Workman (1-5), 35. Duarte (0-5)
San Marino High School football coach and assistant principal Mike Mooney said on Tuesday that he has been placed on administrative leave by the school, but declined to comment why.
Also on Tuesday, San Marino superintendent Gary Woods and high school principal Loren Kleinrock put out a letter to team parents saying that Mooney had in fact resigned, but did not say why. Kleinrock's letter said that Mooney's departure had "NO connection to any external complaint or criticism."
Here's this week's girls volleyball top 10, where there was no movement among the top eight, with the top five combining for a 10-0 record for the week:
1. Chino Hills (21-3) -- The Huskies, who haven't lost since early October, extended their winning streak to nine matches. They get intra-city rival Ayala today.
2. Bonita (14-3) -- The Bearcats are taking care of business in the Hacienda League, sweeping their last four opponents. But it gets tough this week with a home encounter against rival Los Altos on Thursday.
3. St. Lucy's (11-6) -- The Regents appear to be getting their second wind, following up a 3-0 loss to Chino Hills two weeks ago with back-to-back wins, including a four-game win over Ayala.
4. Los Altos (11-3) -- The Conquerors are No. 2 in the Hacienda League, but they get a chance to change that on Thursday when they travel to first-place Bonita.
5. San Dimas (15-4) -- The Saints are cruising in the Valle Vista League, sweeping two matches last week.
6. Glendora (5-5) -- The Tartans, after losing their first three matches in the Baseline League, broke through with a win over Alta Loma. It doesn't get easier this week, with a match against Los Osos.
7. Ayala (10-7) -- The Bulldogs are just a step below Sierra League powers Chino Hills and St. Lucy's, who beat them in four last week.
8. South Hills (10-7) -- The Huskies nearly pulled off the upset of season, taking Chino Hills to five games before losing.
9. La Puente (9-4) -- The Warriors, who swept three opponents last week, take over the No. 9 spot after league-rival Gladstone was upset by Azusa.
10. Diamond Bar (14-8) -- The Brahmas are back in the top 10 after winning two of their last three matches.
On Wednesday, Aram and I discuss two other huge games, Claremont vs. Charter Oak, and Rosemead vs. Arroyo.
Shay update: Bishop Amat coach Steve Hagerty texted that Zach Shay is a game-time decision on Friday, but likely is out this week. That's good news for Shay and the Lancers, he was on crutches and his ankle injury suffered in Friday's win over Crespi appeared more serious. The combo back could return next week against Notre Dame.
By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
Bishop Amat might be 14-0 at home since coach Steve Hagerty took over in 2008, but the Lancers are winless on the road in Serra League games (0-3) during the same span, something the undefeated Lancers (7-0, 1-0) hope to change when they meet Loyola (3-4, 0-1) at Los Angeles Valley College on Friday at 7 p.m.
The Cubs could be in deep trouble. They're already without quarterback Jerry Neuheisel (son of UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel), who suffered a concussion in a 37-15 loss to St. John Bosco on Sept. 24 and hasn't taken a snap since. (To continue, click thred).
Continue reading Will Neuheisel be ready to go against Amat? .
By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
Five years ago, the Covina High School football team was riding a high-flying offense led by a special quarterback and a stellar cast of skill players. The 2005 Colts, behind two-time Tribune Player of the Year Mike McDonough, went on a two-year run that earned them two Valle Vista League titles and two semifinals appearances. Something eerily similar is taking place right now on the corner of Hollenbeck and Puente, and at the center of it is junior quarterback Billy Livingston. (To continue, click thread).
MID-VALLEY DIVISION
1. Azusa (Montview) 6-0 Won Bassett 35-6
2. Monrovia (Rio Hondo) 4-2 Won Blair 57-0
3. Arroyo (Mission Valley) 5-1 Won South El Monte 42-0
4. Whittier Christian (Olympic) 6-1 Won Maranatha 31-24
5. Covina (Valle Vista) 6-1 Won Nogales 41-21
6. San Dimas (Valle Vista) 4-3 Won Pomona 28-14
7. Valley Christian/Cerritos (Olympic) 4-3 Won Los Angeles Baptist 42-9
8. Sierra Vista (Montview) 5-1 Won Workman 49-7
9. Village Christian (Olympic) 4-2 Lost Rio Hondo Prep 26-27
10. Maranatha (Olympic) 5-2 Lost Whittier Christian 24-31
PAC-5 DIVISION
1. Mission Viejo (South Coast) 7-0 Won Dana Hills 52-26
2. Servite (Trinity) 6-0 Won JSerra 41-7
3. Bishop Amat (Serra) 7-0 Won Crespi 31-28
4. Alemany (Serra) 6-0 Bye
5. Santa Margarita (Trinity) 5-1 Won Orange Lutheran 27-15
6. Poly/Long Beach (Moore) 4-2 Bye
7. Lakewood (Moore) 6-1 Won Cabrillo/Long Beach 40-14
8. Mater Dei (Trinity) 4-2 Won St. John Bosco 31-20
9. Tesoro (South Coast) 5-1 Bye
10. San Clemente (South Coast) 6-1 Won Trabuco Hills 43-19
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
1. West Covina (Hacienda) 5-1 Bye
2. Bonita (Hacienda) 6-0 Won Los Altos 37-10
3. Burbank (Pacific) 5-1 Won Hoover 56-0
4. La Serna (Del Rio) 5-1 Won El Rancho 24-7
5. Diamond Ranch (Hacienda) 4-3 Won Rowland 35-14
6. La Mirada (Suburban) 4-3 Won Cerritos 38-7
7. Mayfair (Suburban) 4-3 Won Glenn 48-7
8. Norwalk (Suburban) 3-3 Bye
9. Bellflower (Suburban) 5-2 Won Artesia 66-7
10. Rowland (Hacienda) 4-3 Lost Diamond Ranch 14-35
INLAND DIVISION
1. Centennial/Corona (Big VIII) 6-0 Won J.W. North 49-7
2. Vista Murrieta (Southwestern) 5-1 Won Chaparral 45-17
3. Rancho Cucamonga (Baseline) 5-1 Won Los Osos 29-28 (OT)
4. Roosevelt (Big VIII) 5-1 Won Poly/Riverside 27-8
5. Norco (Big VIII) 5-1 Won Santiago/Corona 49-28
6. Upland (Baseline) 4-2 Won Alta Loma 56-16
7. Claremont (Sierra) 5-1 Won Chino Hills 31-30
8. Chino Hills (Sierra) 4-2 Lost Claremont 30-31
9. Redlands East Valley (Citrus Belt) 4-2 Won Redlands 24-22
10. Redlands (Citrus Belt) 4-1-1 Lost Redlands East Valley 22-24
By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
There is nothing ordinary about 33-year-old Joe Hernandez. While Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest is getting a lot of high praise for auctioning his 2010 NBA championship ring to charity, the small business owner from Azusa with a much smaller bank account has offered to raffle off one of his prized possessions for the Northview High School baseball team -- a 1966 mint condition Ford Mustang valued between $40,000 to $50,000. Talk about Santa Claus arriving early. (To continue story, click thread).
Note: Raffle tickets can be purchased at the school for $20 each. Information about the car and where it will be shown in the coming weeks can be heard by calling a fundraising hotline that has been set up at 626-723-6246.
Steve and I will go head-to-head in Tribskin Pick'em throughout the season for our annual dinner bet. I lead the overall series, two years to one.
Last Week: Robledo (12-6); Ramirez (12-6).
Season: Robledo (108-38); Ramirez (103-43*).
Last week: Not sure they were all upsets, but Steve and I had our worst week of the season, both finishing12-6. That's bad news for Steve, because he still trails by five games, that was his chance. We got burned on the 50-50 games, taking Glendora over Etiwanda, South Hills over Damien, Chino Hills over Claremont, Mountain View over El Monte, and Rowland over Diamond Ranch, which all went they other way. I took an extra loss by taking Wilson over Northview, and he took a loss taking Crespi over Bishop Amat.
This week: This is make or break for a lot of teams with playoff aspirations as title pictures become clearer as well. Starting in the VVL, Covina has a chance to prove its legitimacy at home against Baldwin Park, a win all but guaranteeing at least a tie for the league title. But you can say the same about the Braves, who already own a win over defending champ San Dimas on the road. This is a toss-up, but Covina's win over West Covina, it's close loss to Walnut in OT tend to lean me toward the Colts. This is their coming-out-party, they score a lot of points, so I'm sticking with them in a thrilling finish. Charter Oak proved last week they might have the best offense in the Valley, especially through the air. With their defense coming around (which happens each year, it's called great coaching), the Chargers will score enough to outlast Claremont, who will have RB Taj Teague back. You want an upset, here it is, Loyola will edge out Bishop Amat. There is no reason on paper to believe the Cubs win, but things don't happen on paper the way they're supposed to in the Pac-5. I never thought the Lancers would go 4-0 in league and they haven't been a good road team over the last three years. Coach Hagerty might be undefeated at home, but the Lancers haven't won a Serra road game during his tenue, going 0-3 the previous two years, losing twice in 2008 and last year at Crespi. And with Loyola hungry after being upset last week by Notre Dame, and being at home, it's an absolute must for the Cubs, who squeeze it out. What happens is Amat will win next week at home against Notre Dame, then have two weeks for the finale against Alemany for either a share or the outright title. You heard it here first. Arroyo and Rosemead are playing for the MVL title, but I'm making the Knights 17 point favorites. Damien at Chino Hills is extremely intriguing, but you have to believe the Huskies bounce back at home after last week's disaster. Walnut and Bonita could be intriguing also, but if the Bearcats are who we think they are they win going away...
Note: Steve Ramirez will update later
Thursday's games
Baldwin Park vs. Covina at Covina District Stadium, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Covina) -- Ramirez (Baldwin Park)
Friday's games
Glendora at Los Osos, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Los Osos); Ramirez (Los Osos)
Diamond Bar at Rowland, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Rowland); Ramirez (Rowland)
Claremont at Charter Oak -- Robledo (Charter Oak); Ramirez (Charter Oak)
Damien at Chino Hills -- Robledo (Chino Hills); Ramirez (Chino Hills)
Loyola vs. Bishop Amat at LA Valley College, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Loyola); Ramirez (Loyola)
Los Altos at West Covina, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (WCovina); Ramirez (WCovina)
Walnut at Bonita, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Bonita); Ramirez (Bonita)
El Monte at Gabrielino, 7 p.m -- Robledo (El Monte); Ramirez (El Monte)
Rosemead at Arroyo, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Arroyo); Ramirez (Arroyo)
South El Monte at Mountain View, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (MView); Ramirez (MView)
Azusa at Duarte, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Azusa); Ramirez (Azusa)
Ganesha at La Puente, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (La Puente); Ramirez (La Puente)
Gladstone vs. Sierra Vista at Citrus College, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (SVista); Ramirez (Sierra Vista)
Workman at Bassett, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Bassett); Ramirez (Bassett)
Ayala vs. South Hills at Covina District Stadium, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (SHills); Ramirez (SHills)
Nogales at Wilson, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Wilson); Ramirez (Wilson)
Northview at San Dimas, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (SDimas); Ramirez (San Dimas)
La Verne Lutheran senior point guard CJ Cooper has given his verbal commitment to the University of Texas El Paso after meeting coach Tim Floyd on a recent recruiting trip. Cooper, arguably the best returning boys hoops player in the area, helped the Trojans win two CIF titles in the past three years, including a state title earlier this this.
Diamond Ranch upset? Not Really: Diamond Ranch scored 21 points in the first 6:30 of the final quarter to pull away for a 35-14 victory over Rowland Heights Rowland at Ganesha High School.
It doesn't make any sense to doubt Diamond Ranch anymore, they win when they have to win, making my predictions look like I'm not paying attention. I am now, they have a great shot at taking down West Covina, Bonita or both, steering the focus to an even better question: Is the Hacienda League as good as the Sierra? Is it better? West Covina beats Glendora who beats Charter Oak. Bonita slams Claremont who beats Chino Hills. It's hard to make a case for the Sierra, especially when a team like Rowland could miss the playoffs. The Sierra has bigger non-league victories because of what Chino Hills did to Tesoro and Redlands East Valley, but don't tell me Bonita, Diamond Ranch and West Covina couldn't compete in the Sierra, the results say otherwise. Great games this week, Covina hosting Baldwin Park for what could decide the Valle Vista League title on Thursday (which means I miss UCLA's upset over No. 1 Oregon), and Claremont at Charter Oak on Friday, the winner jumping to a 2-0 start in the Sierra. The Mission Valley Leauge title also is on the line, what else is new when Rosemead faces Arroyo.
Serra's 41-14 win over St. Francis gets testy: The Daily Breeze reported that St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds called Serra "a bunch of thugs." And Serra Coach Scott Altenberg said a priest was yelling at his team.
Thursday's games
Baldwin Park vs. Covina at Covina District Stadium, 7:00pm
Friday's games
Glendora at Los Osos, 7:00pm
Diamond Bar at Rowland, 7:00pm
Los Altos at West Covina, 7:00pm
Walnut at Bonita, 7:00pm
El Monte at Gabrielino, 7:00pm
Rosemead at Arroyo, 7:00pm
South El Monte at Mountain View, 7:00pm
Azusa at Duarte, 7:00pm
Ganesha at La Puente, 7:00pm
Gladstone vs. Sierra Vista at Citrus College, 7:00pm
Workman at Bassett, 7:00pm
Loyola vs. Bishop Amat at Los Angeles Valley College, 7:00pm
Ayala vs. South Hills at Covina District Stadium, 7:00pm
Claremont at Charter Oak, 7:00pm
Damien at Chino Hills, 7:00pm
Nogales at Wilson, 7:00pm
Northview at San Dimas, 7:00pm
Aram's reaction to Amat: You don't learn much from blowouts. You don't learn much from weak nonleague schedules. But you learn plenty when a heart is put on a treadmill and has stress applied to it.
Friday's results
Bishop Amat 31, Crespi 28 -- After blowing a 17-0 lead, Amat rallies back in the fourth quarter, getting two touchdowns from Jalen Moore who finished with 270 yards, 177 in the second half to rally the Lancers from a 21-17 hole. It was reminiscent of several Amat comebacks in recent years, who are now a perfect 15-0 at home under coach Steve Hagerty. The Serra really got interesting with Notre Dame beating Loyola 21-18.
Damien 35, South Hills 21 -- Say what you want about the Spartans' chances in the Sierra, but the truth is, their only two losses have come against Pac-5 Division teams. South Hills? Defense still a problem.
Claremont 31, Chino Hills 30 -- Still scratching your head over the upset of the night? Give the Wolfback credit, all we did was talk about how great Chino Hills was. This will certainly turn the Sierra into the wild, wild west.
Walnut 34, Diamond Bar 7 -- The Mustangs finally netted a big win in the Hacienda while the Brahmas continue to lose league games after 4-0 start.
Charter Oak 54, Ayala 7 -- What a huge statement by the Chargers. With all due respect to what Claremont did, this was just as impressive. And guess what, Claremont visits Charter Oak next ... Think I found my game of the week.
Arroyo 42, South El Monte 0 -- The Knights didn't waste much time putting them away, getting ready for next week's game against Rosemead. Steven Rivera threw for 210 and two touchdowns.
San Dimas 28, Pomona 14 -- Raise your hand if you thought this was much closer than expected.
Bonita 37, Los Altos 10 -- About what you expected, the Bearcats remaining undefeated, but they still haven't gone through the heart of the Hacienda.
Azusa 35, Bassett 6 -- Nobody expects the Aztecs to lose, staying sharp is more of a focal point.
Sierra Vista 49, Workman 7 -- The Dons bounced back after last week's loss to Azusa, a good sign for a team hoping to reach the playoffs.
La Puente 28, Gladstone 7 -- The Warriors stay in playoff contention with the win.
Covina 41, Nogales 21 -- This sets up Thursday's huge showdown against Baldwin Park at Covina District field.
Northview 34, Wilson 27 -- After an 0-4 start, the Vikings suddenly have won two straight in league, and this was over an improved Wilson.
Rosemead 42, Gabrielino 6 -- The Panthers roll to an easy victory, sights set on Arroyo showdown on Friday.
El Monte 28, Mountain View 21 -- The Lions open the Mission Valley League over the hot Vikings.
Glendora scored on its first three possessions, led 14-0 and 21-7, but gave up 27 points in the second quarter, an interception by Chad Jeffries leading to an Eagles touchdown with 36 seconds left in the half and a 27-21 lead. The Tartans were about to take the lead in the third quarter, but fumbled a yard short of the end zone, the Eagles getting it back and later scoring to go up 33-21. The Tartans almost made it interesting, but fumbled again at the Eagles'11, Cortland Fort picking it up and going 89 yards for the touchdown an an insurmountable 39-21 lead with 1:15 left.
Maybe that's because the last time Bishop Amat played Crespi at Kiefer, the Lancers won 22-21 on Jerry Mac's two-point do-or-die conversion dive at the left corner in 2008. I was there and still can't confirm for sure whether he got in, but the Lancers won it, one of the best games ever seen at Kiefer. This highlight video captured it all and then some.
FYI: Mike "The Cousin" Robledo will be at Kiefer Friday for Coveritlive. Visitors from Crespi are welcome to join the chat.
By Steve Ramirez
If it's October, then it's time for Diamond Ranch High School's usual winning streak. The Panthers are living up to the tradition. Diamond Ranch, which struggled in nonleague only to catch fire and advance to the CIF-Southern Section Division finals each of the previous two seasons, again is matching the trend. The Panthers, who went 1-3 in nonleague this season, including a 56-0 loss at Santa Margarita in the season opener, have opened Hacienda League play with victories over region rivals Diamond Bar (41-0) and Walnut (35-28), a game in which they trailed 21-0 at one point.
Continue reading Nobody can flip the switch like Diamond Ranch.
By Steve Ramirez
Friday night will be a homecoming of sorts for Wilson football coach Brian Zavala, whose Wildcats host Northview in a Valle Vista League game at 7. Zavala was the Vikings' defensive coordinator for three seasons before taking over at Wilson prior to last season. "It's definitely something I've been thinking about," he said. "I left on good terms, so there are people over there I have a good relationship with.
By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
The key to Bishop Amat High School's chances of winning the Serra League may belong to junior running back Jalen Moore, someone coach Steve Hagerty envisioned leading his backfield long before last year's starter, Jay Anderson, opted to skip his senior season of football to concentrate on baseball. (To continue, click thread).
More Amat: For those who haven't seen receiver Wallace Gonzalez, here is a glimpse of what you might see in his Serra debut. Keep in mind, these are his sophomore highlights from Glendora, he's a senior now.
DIAMOND RANCH VS. ROWLAND ...
DAMIEN VS. SOUTH HILLS...
Q&A: Bob Ramsey's Q&A with South Hills runner Vianca Holguin
Tuesday's Sierra League Cluster Meet with the Inland Insider, including race highlights and interviews. Nobody takes care of the I.E., like Chino Hills Tom.
SGV Tribune Boys Leaders
Paul Ross 12 Claremont 15:21 14:21 Clovis
Henry Falotico 12 Claremont 15:31 14:31 Clovis
Anthony Castro 12 Glendora 15:35 14:35 Clovis
Timmy Reed 12 Ayala 15:58 14:48 Clovis
Kelly Hernandez 12 Glendora 15:30 14:58 Bronco 5K
Colin Domonoske 12 Claremont 16:02 15:02 Clovis
A.K. Metoyer 12 Claremont 15:05 15:05 Woodbridge
Kenny Tanner 11 Ayala 16:09 15:09 Clovis
David Galvez 10 Rowland 15:52 15:12 1v1/Mt. SAC
Nick Rivera 11 Rowland 15:57 15:17 1v1/Mt. SAC
SGV Girls Leaders
Marissa Scott 10 Bonita 17:55 17:00 1v1/Mt.SAC
Lauren Justus 12 Glendora 17:04 17:04 Woodbridge
Taylor Khan 11 Ayala 18:30 17:15 Clovis
Jaclyn Gonzalez 11 Ayala 18:49 17:34 Clovis
Breanne Baughman 10 Ayala 19:10 17:55 Clovis
Chandler Colquitt 11 Ayala 19:19 18:04 Clovis
Lexie Jackson 10 Bonita 19:03 18:08 1v1/Mt.SAC
Carly Lake 11 Charter Oak 19:05 18:10 1v1/Mt.SAC
Merin Arft 9 Claremont 19:29 18:14 Clovis
Mikayla Flores 9 Bonita 18:21 18:21 Woodbridge
The Valle Vista, Montview, Rio Hondo, Mission Valley, Olympic and Almont League each have two guaranteed playoff spots for the Mid-Valley Division playoffs. There are four at-large berths, but keep in mind that if teams finish third or fourth in their respective leagues and both have .500 records are better, no fourth-place team can earn an-large over a third-place team. Other than that, the four playoff seeds will be determined by a CIF formula. That formula looks at a few different things, with the most important being head-to-head results. The at-large teams finishing third with the most points based on the formula below will qualify. Fourth-place teams won't be considered if there are at least four third-place teams with .500 records or better.
(a) Head-to-head competition of teams under consideration (4 points)
(b) Overall strength of the league from which the team is entered (1 point)
(c) Overall win-loss record (1 point)
(d) Strength against common opponents (1 point)
(e) Strength of schedule (2 points, using overall win-loss record of opponents)
Former Rosemead High strong safety and fullback Cesar Chavez, who helped the Panthers reach the CIF-SS Mid-Valley Division championship in 2008, was involved in a serious motorcycle accident two weeks ago and is still in intensive care, though stable, Panthers coach Matt Koffler said this morning. Chavez was attending Cal State L.A., but he is still in the hearts of Rosemead alumni and school officials, who will have a donation basket at Friday's homecoming against Gabrielino for those who would like to help Chavez and his family.
Note from CIF: The Southern Section Office staff divides transfer paperwork among three assistant commissioners. An assistant commissioner handles hardship paperwork for initial review Bylaw 208). In the event a hardship appeal does not appear to be valid, or to meet the criteria the Commissioner reviews and renders a fi nal decision.
In the month of September, the Section office processed 746 transfers under Bylaw 207. 616 of those requests were granted unlimited eligibility. 122 of those requests were limited eligible and nine were not granted eligibility.
The office received 86 hardship requests. 38 were approved for unlimited participation, 41 were given limited eligibility and seven were not granted eligibility. Under Bylaw 209, 74 requests were granted eligibility and 24 were denied. In all, the office processed 950 transfers of one type or another; an astonishing amount of work divided among four assistant commissioners.
For more info from the CIF Commissioners meeting in regards to transfers, click thread.
Continue reading CIF-SS office reviewed 950 transfers .
1. Chino Hills (19-3) -- Huskies showed promise last year, but stepped up to top dog with a rather easy sweep over previous No. 1 St. Lucy's last week. They faced South Hills Tuesday before an intra-city rival against Ayala aet for Thursday.
2. Bonita (14-3) -- The Bearcats, who had two sweeps last week, have been pretty consistent since losing in week one against St. Lucy's. But the rematch against Los Altos will be very interesting in a few weeks.
3. St. Lucy's (9-6) -- The Regents looked a little rusty last week after taking the previous week off. They beat an under-manned South Hills in four games before being swept by Chino Hills. But we have come to expect a solid finish in past seasons by the Regents. Will it happen again?
4. Los Altos (11-3) -- The Conquerors have picked it up since losing to Bonita.
5. San Dimas (13-4) -- The Saints take advantage of some losses to move up to No. 5. They are liking a Ganesha-less Valle Vista.
6. Glendora (4-4) -- The Tartans Baseline League debut was dismal after opening with back-to-back losses. The volleyball team might be taking the biggest hit from league realignment.
7. Ayala (9-6) -- The Bulldogs have been somewhat inconsistent, but has found their rhythm lately, beating South Hills in five to go from out of the top 10 to No. 7.
8. South Hills (7-4) -- The Huskies took the biggest hit of the week, losing middle blocker Jackie Valle-Acosta to a knee injury. But Charm Doyle still has enough talent to make an impact.
9. Gladstone (9-4) -- The Gladiators have taken early control of the Montview League, but more tests will come in rematches against Ganesha and La Puente.
10. Bishop Amat (9-5) -- The Lancers opened Del Rey League with a loss to St. Joseph.
Above: San Dimas scored a sweep over Wilson in the Valle Vista League Tuesday.
San Dimas continued to control play in the Valle Vista League with a 25-11, 25-23, 25-18 victory over Wilson on Tuesday.
The Saints, getting nine kills from Nicole Ellis, trailed in all three sets before rallying to improve to 14-4 overall and 6-0 in the Valle Vista league. Wilson slipped to 2-4 and 2-4.
San Dimas coach Paul Kim: "The girls kept fighting for every point. They didn't give up.
We were down every game. Yet, they knew they needed to clean it up and they did that, and we were able to come back. It would have been nice to play a little bit more consistently, and we're still working on that."
Wilson coach Raz Simonian: "I'm very proud of the way we played. We played like a good team. We did play against a team that is undefeated (in league), so we did put up a fight.
I was very pleased with the way we played. To close the first half, with this effort was very, very good."
Other Scores
Hacienda League
Bonita def. Diamond Ranch 25-8, 25-17, 25-8.
Los Altos def. Walnut 25-22, 25-12, 25-21.
Montview League
Azusa def. Workman 25-18, 21-25, 25-14, 25-9.
Gladstone def. Duarte 25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 25-21.
Ganesha def. Sierra Vista 25-13, 25-11, 25-10.
This week's CIF-Southern Section football polls.
1. Bishop Amat (6-0) -- The preparation has included a lot of lopsided victories, but the truth is unveiled this week in the league opener against 5-1 Crespi. Is Amat's secondary athletic and disciplined enough to handle the Celts' aerial assault? Can Amat put 40 or more points on the board? Answers come Friday.
2. Chino Hills (4-1) -- We know the Huskies are the prohibitive favorites in the Sierra League, but are they contenders in the Inland Division, where they climbed to No. 2 in the poll? You prove that by continuing to win while the bullseye is firmly implanted.
3. West Covina (5-1) -- Bonita hasn't done anything to lose it's No. 3 ranking, it's just the Bulldogs, even with a loss, have looked better at this point. They're No. 1 in the Southeast and have a brutal running game that hasn't come close to being slowed down.
4. Bonita (5-0) -- The Bearcats are No. 2 in the Southeast, but have yet to face the contenders in the Hacienda. We'll know more once they go through Diamond Ranch, Rowland and West Covina. For now, so far so good.
5. Glendora (4-1) -- After a week off they open the Baseline at Etiwanda on Thursday, a winnable opener and a must have if the Tartans are thinking about making the playoffs or contending for a league title.
6. Charter Oak (3-2) -- QB Travis Santiago returns after an ankle injury and a bye week. If the Chargers are serious contenders in the Sierra Leaugue, they will let us know on the road at Ayala, a school that has a 5-1 record but has played the weakest schedule of all Sierra teams.
7. Claremont (4-1) -- We've been saying the Wolfpack are the second best team in the Sierra but on Friday at home they get a chance to show they're the best against mighty Chino Hills in the league opener.
8. Azusa (5-0) -- The Aztecs will finish the season with ten straight blowouts to go 10-0 and take the No.1 ranking in the Mid-Valley Division. Their closest game is a 21-point blowout and the toughest part of their schedule is behind them.
9. Rowland (4-2) -- The Raiders took one on the chin against West Covina, but the Raiders are too good and will bounce back in the coming weeks.
10. Covina (5-1) -- We haven't given the Colts enough credit. When you play in the MId-Valley and you own a win over West Covina, the No. 1 in the Southeast, that deserves a top ten ranking.
The Rest: 10. Damien (3-2), 11. Ayala (4-1), 12. Diamond Ranch (3-3), 14. Arroyo (4-1), 15. Baldwin Park (2-4), 16. San Dimas (3-3, 17. South Hills (1-4), 18. Diamond Bar (4-2), 19. Walnut (2-3), 20. Wilson (3-2), 21. Sierra Vista (4-1), 22. Rosemead (3-2), 23. Pomona (3-3), 24. La Puente (3-2), 25. Mountain View (3-2), 26. Ganesha (2-3), 27. Nogales (1-4), 28. El Monte (1-4); 29. Gladstone (2-3), 30. Bassett (2-3), 31. Northview (1-4), 32. Los Altos (0-5), 33. South El Monte (1-4), 34. Workman (1-4), 35. Duarte (0-4)
Bishop Amat normally plays home games at 7:30 p.m., but the Serra League voted (along with approving overtime) that all games start at 7 p.m., which might be bad news for you fighting traffic and tailgating, but great news for guys like us that write on deadline...I feel like dancing in the press box.
For a glimpse at Crespi, check out their fourth-quarter highlights from Friday's 53-47 win over Taft..
By Fred J. Robledo
South Hills High School football coach Steve Bogan and Damien's Greg Gano each own four CIF-Southern Section divisional titles, so one can imagine how frustrating it was talking about having to win a game to stay in the playoff hunt, especially when that game is just the Sierra League opener. That's because Chino Hills (4-1), with nonleague victories over Tesoro and Redlands East Valley, has become a huge league favorite as it prepares for Friday's game against Claremont (4-1), another school projected to be in the playoff hunt along with Charter Oak (3-2), which visits Ayala (4-1). (To continue, click thread).
Continue reading Bogan, Gano in unfamiliar position in opener.
New season, new arguments: The new Hacienda and Sierra League's are growing on me, but what bums me out is this could have been the year Bonita unseated Charter Oak in the Miramonte League while West Covina already would have unseated South Hills in the San Antonio, though who knows what might of happened in a playoff rematch. That's what happened in 2004, South Hills beating West Covina for league, but West Covina returning the favor by beating South Hills in the Divisional title game. If the old Southeast Division were alive today, don't you think undefeated Bonita and once-beaten West Covina would be favored to reach the finals over Charter Oak and struggling South Hills? Too bad we won't know, the powers that be voted Charter Oak and South Hills into a tougher league and division mostly because they felt they were too dominant for a number of years and no longer wanted to face them. The timing couldn't be worse. I would have loved to know if West Covina or Bonita could have beaten Charter Oak in a playoff game with a season on the line. That's the best way to become champion, to beat the champion. It's disappointing in that this could have been the changing-of-the-guard season for our top-tier teams not named Bishop Amat, but now we'll never know for sure. Whether West Covina, Bonita or anyone else wins the Southeast Division Charter Oak can always counter: "Nice title, but you never went through the champs to get it."
Steve and I will go head-to-head in Tribskin Pick'em throughout the season for our annual dinner bet. I lead the overall series, two years to one.
Last Week: Robledo (14-4); Ramirez (14-4).
Season: Robledo (96-32); Ramirez (91-37).
Last week: We missed three of the same games taking San Dimas over Baldwin Park, Ganesha over Gladstone and Walnut over Diamond Ranch. The Braves' win was the most surprising, but not as surprising as the Mustangs blowing a 21-point lead against the Panthers. I also missed taking Pomona over Northview and Steve missed taking Rowland over West Covina, so not a bad week, both of us gong 14-4.
This week: The season arrives in full force with the start of the Serra, Sierra and a triple header of all triple headers, starting with Glendora at Etiwanda Thursday, Bishop Amat at home against Crespi Friday and Diamond Ranch and Rowland closing out on Saturday night at Ganesha. Let's start right there, Glendora opens the Baseline with a win, Etiwanda is 2-4 and if the Tartans are going to compete for a playoff bid, this is one they have to have. Bishop Amat and Crespi is basically a toss-up, Calpreps projects it 34-31 Bishop Amat. With Alemany and Loyola on the road later, the Lancers have to win at home, and despite how many points the Celts are scoring, especially through the air, I still take defense over offense, so going with Bishop Amat. DRanch may have rocked Diamond Bar and was fortunate to beat Walnut, but they will not do the same to Rowland coming off a tough loss to West Covina. South Hills and Damien at the District is a great way to start the Sierra, and despite how bad the Huskies' have looked against good teams, I'm taking them at home. Count me as one who doesn't believe the Huskies are as bad as their record, and one that might even compete for a playoff spot. Chino Hills will beat Claremont, though it will be closer than you think and Charter Oak crushes Ayala to let everyone know not to count them out as one of the area's top teams just yet.
Note: Steve Ramirez will update later
Thursday's games
Etiwanda vs. Glendora at Colony, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Glendora); Ramirez (Glendora)
Friday's games
Crespi at Bishop Amat, 7:30 p.m. -- Robledo (BAmat); Ramirez (Crespi)
South Hills vs. Damien at Covina District Field, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (SHills); Ramirez (South Hills)
Chino Hills at Claremont, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (CHills); Ramirez (Chino Hills)
Walnut at Diamond Bar, 7 p.m. - Robledo (Walnut); Ramirez (Walnut)
Charter Oak at Ayala, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (COak); Ramirez (ChOak)
Arroyo at South El Monte, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Arroyo); Ramirez (Arroyo)
San Dimas at Pomona, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (SDimas); Ramirez (San Dimas)
Bonita at Los Altos, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Bonita); Ramirez (Bonita)
Azusa vs. Bassett at Citrus College, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Azusa); Ramirez (Azusa)
Workman at Sierra Vista, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (SVista); Ramirez (Sierra Vista)
Gladstone at La Puente, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (La Puente); Ramirez (La Puente)
Covina at Nogales, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Covina); Ramirez (Covina)
Northview at Wilson, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Wilson); Ramirez (Northview)
Gabrielino at Rosemead, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Rosemead); Ramirez (Rosemead)
Mountain View at El Monte, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (MView); Ramirez (MView)
Duarte at Ganesha, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Ganesha); Ramirez (Ganesha)
Saturday's game
Rowland vs. Diamond Ranch at Ganesha, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Rowland); Ramirez (Rowland)
I took Aram's all-encompassing top-25, which includes teams from the Star-News and Whittier areas and condensed it to Tribune only, giving you an idea of how he would shape up the top 15 teams. My rankings come out tomorrow, but as Aram says, chew on this ...
1. Bishop Amat (6-0) -- Now the season finally begins
2. Chino Hills (5-0) -- Can anybody reach double figures on the Huskies in league?
3. Bonita (5-0) -- Pendleton returns on fire with 3 TDs vs. D-Bar
4. West Covina (5-1) -- Two biggest league tests still remain; D-Ranch and BoHi
5. Glendora (4-1) -- Etiwanda provides first Baseline test for Tarty
6. Azusa (5-0) -- Gave Sierra Vista a hefty dose or reality ... now just waiting for brackets
7. Claremont (4-1) -- Wolfpack better have a healthy Taj Teague for Chino Hills
8. Charter Oak (3-2) -- QB Santiago's health holds the key to CO's Sierra chances
9. Ayala (4-1) -- Bulldogs D can prove its mettle vs. Charter Oak
10. Rowland (4-2) -- Pressure's on Raiders now to salvage at least third in Hacienda
11. Arroyo (5-1) -- Rivera returns and Knights roll, it's just that easy
12. Covina (5-1) -- QB Livingston comes off bench to light up Wilson
13. Damien (3-3) -- Hard to tell if Spartans are good enough to hang in Sierra
14. Diamond Ranch (3-3) -- Got a scare against Walnut, but Panthers are back to .500
15. Baldwin Park (2-4) -- WC3, WC2 and DJ show detractors where to stick it
Next week, Crespi (5-1) at Bishop Amat (6-0), Serra League opener: For the second straight game, Encino Crespi quarterback Kenny Stenhouse set a new school passing record Friday night in the Celts' thrilling 53-47 victory over Woodland Hills Taft. A week after throwing for a school-record 484 yards and five touchdowns against Vista Murrieta, the senior tossed a school-record six touchdown passes against the Toreadors.
50/50 out of control: Talk about hitting the jackpot. When Amat hosted Damien, the 50-50 winner won $2,800. Last night for homecoming against Venice, the winner was awarded $2,300. There were 15 other games in our coverage area Friday, I bet if you totaled the 50-50s from all the rest it still wouldn't add up to $2,800. Most games I cover the 50-50 is rarely over $200.
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER UPDATES OF TONIGHT'S GAMES, CLICK HERE
Friday's results
West Covina 41, Rowland 17 -- West Covina racked up over 350 rushing yards and led 14-0 after five plays. They're that good, whether it's Chris Solomon, BJ Lee, Charles Tucker or QB George Johnson, they have weapons.
Bonita 53, Diamond Bar 20 -- Bearcats continue to prove they're legit. As impressive as West Covina was, the Bearcats are right there with them. Garrett Pendleton finished with 221 yards and 3 TDS in his comeback, returning in the second quarter. They racked up 550 total yards.
Diamond Ranch 35, Walnut 28, 2OT -- The Mustangs blew a 21-0 lead. Those of us following on Coveritlive couldn't believe it, but the comeback was even more shocking. Roddy's Ranchers do it again.
Azusa 41, Sierra Vista 7 -- This basically means the Aztecs will finish undefeated and probably won't be challenged at all. Can you believe it, they could go 10-0 winning every game by at least three touchdowns.
La Puente 44, Workman 8 -- Warriors bounce back after 28-0 loss to Azusa, which kind of tells you just go good Azusa is, because La Puente might be the second best in league.
Baldwin Park 19, San Dimas 14 -- Playing a tough nonleague scheduled paid off after all. Nobody is going to remember the Braves' 0-4 start, but they will remember their upset over the defending CIF champs and 2-0 start in the VVL.
Covina 36, Wilson 16 -- The Colts continue to be one of the most improved from last year, crushing the Wildcats in a game that really wasn't this close to go to 2-0 in the VVL also.
Northview 35, Pomona 20 -- Vikings grab first win of the year. In reality, they weren't as bad as their record indicated, losing just 14-11 to Covina last week.
Bell Gardens 42, South El Monte 7 -- The Eagles knew they might have a tough time and did, giving up 42 points.
Chino 40, El Monte 16 -- Saw this coming, the Cowboys were 4-0 and better all the way around.
JSerra 42, Damien 7 - The Spartans fell behind quick and never had a chance. JSerra is undefeated for a reason.
Arroyo 26, La Canada 7 -- This was close at half, but the Knights finally got the kinks out and pulled away.
Rosemead 29, Temple City 28 -- The Panthers needed a win in the worst way and got it, squeezing out a win over the Rams.
Bishop Amat 42, Venice 20 -- Lancers gave up more points than they would like and it was just 20--14 at half, but hey, it was homecoming and the big one is next week against Crespi. Rio Ruiz completed his first 11 passes, finished 18 of 26 for 169 yards and two TDs.
Los Osos 43, South Hills 28 -- When is the last time you remember a Huskies team giving up this many points week after week. It's going to be a long Sierra.
Gladstone 28, Ganesha 14 -- Don't look now, but the Gladiators are 2-0 in the Montview.
Bassett 6, Duarte 0 -- Falcons play their best defense of the season, but still not good enough.
Highlights of Baldwin Park's 19-14 upset win over San Dimas ...
By Aram Tolegian
Local prep football fans will be hard-pressed to find a better collection of skill players on the field at one time than what they'll see at Rowland High School on Friday night when the Raiders host West Covina in a Hacienda League showdown that will go a long way toward determining the league champion. "If you like speed, it will be a good place to be," West Covina coach Mike Maggiore said. "There will be a lot of speed on the field, so hopefully we can play some defense." For West Covina, the explosiveness comes in the form of a wave of running backs capable of breaking a touchdown run on any given carry. For Rowland, it starts with dynamic quarterback Michael Ball and continues with a dangerous group of receivers. "It's been awhile since both schools have hooked up with so many quality athletes," Rowland coach Craig Snyder said. "It's going to be a fun football game. Both teams have their strong points, and we just have to hope they have more weak points than we do." (to continue, click thread).
By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
Sierra Vista High School football coach Keith Locklear, struggling with the spread offense and a defense that gave up too many points, turned to former Dons coach Don Le Gro and asked for help. "Do you think you can do for us what you did in the 90s?" Locklear asked Le Gro. "He said, `(Heck) yeah,' and that was that." As Sierra Vista head coach in the 1990s, Le Gro groomed back-to-back Tribune player of the year winners Oscar Interiano (1995) and Oscar Arzu (1996). Arzu left as the Valley's all-time single-season rushing leader with 3,219 yards in 1996. Le Gro retired in 1999, but he's back as the Dons' offensive coordinator and hasn't lost his touch.
It may come as a mild surprise, but undefeated Sierra Vista (4-0, 1-0) leads the CIF-Southern Section in rushing at 486 yards per game and more than 10 yards per carry (1,944 yards on 181 rushes), a startling turnaround from the pass-happy offense of recent years.
It's too early to narrow down a coach of the year, but not to early to note those that should be in consideration after five weeks of football.
Eric Podley, Bonita (4-0) -- Considering they were 3-8 last year and lost starting quarterback Garrett Pendleton before the season, you have to give Podley the edge over the others at this point. Huge wins over San Dimas, Claremont, and blowout over Baldwin Park.
Joe Scherf, Azusa (4-0) -- His name has been in the conversation three straight years and deservedly so. Allowing just two points per game is phenomenal, regardless of competition. Scherf and Amat's Steve Hagerty have been in the running since 2008, when they took over and changed the culture of their programs.
Mike Maggiore, West Covina (4-1) -- The number one-ranked team in the Southeast Division had some month reeling off four straight wins over Venice, South Hills, Glendora and Walnut. The way Maggiore turned his team after a loss against Covina is what Maggiore does best, rebounding from a disaster that would affect most teams for weeks.
Keith Locklear, Sierra Vista (4-0) -- At this point Locklear deserves to be considered. He switched from an all-out pass attack to a run-happy team producing an average of nearly 500 yards a game. If they beat Azusa on Friday, Locklear's stock goes through the roof.
Steve Hagerty, Bishop Amat (5-0) -- They lose Kane, Cazares and Johnson on defense; lose their starting quarterback and running back and still look as good as ever, scoring more points while allowing an average eight points a game. They haven't played a non-league schedule as difficult as the previous two, but statistically, they keep getting better.
Darryl Thomas, Covina (4-1) -- Nobody in the Mid-Valley will have a bigger non-league win on their resume that Covina's over West Covina, and if the Colts keep this up and somehow become a factor in the VVL title chase, Thomas will be in the running.
Derek Bub, Chino Hills (4-1) -- Surprising wins over Tesoro and Redlands East Valley have moved the Huskies to No. 3 in the Inland Poll and has them tagged big favorites in a Sierra League race we thought would be much tighter.
"They're obviously way better than their record dictates. Coach (James) Heggins has done a fabulous job of bringing that team together. Demitrius Jackson and Wardell Crutchfield III are everything that's advertised, and we have to do whatever we can to slow those guys down." -- San Dimas coach Bill Zernickow on facing Baldwin Park Friday.
"The competition is still on. Garrett (Pendleton) is still working a little bit of the rust off. We're going day by day in practice, but coming back from four weeks off isn't as easy as one might think." -- Bonita coach Eric Podley on QB Garrett Pendleton returning from injury while his replacement, Greg Spathias has led the club to a 4-0 start.
"We're excited about where we're at. I'll be able to tell you by Week 10 if the nonleague schedule paid off. We felt we really had a good defense going into the season; it was just nice to see the kids mature and find out they can play some good team defense." - Chino Hills coach Derek Bub.
Continue reading Notes and quotes from Zernickow, Podley, Bub.
Aram and I discuss Friday night's game of the week, and the Coveritlive game of the week with Mike "The Cousin" Robledo, which is the Southeast Division's No. 1-ranked West Covina at No. 3 Rowland in what figures to be the biggest Hacienda League game of the year.
St. Lucy's opened Sierra League by beating traditional power South Hills, 25-12, 24-26, 25-19, 25-22 Tuesday. But the Huskies may have lost more.
South Hills senior middle blocker Jackie Valle-Acosta injured her left knee during warm-ups and might be lost of the season, Huskies coach Charm Doyle said.
St. Lucy's received 15 kills from senior Deanna Dalton and 10 from junior Jasmine Warmington to improve to 10-5. The Regents controlled game one before South Hills rallied to take the second game, with St. Lucy's keeping the Huskies in check, withstanding two late rallies to win games three and four to take the match.
South Hills, which slipped to 7-3, received 13 kills from outside hitter Marisa Gomez and 11 from Whitney Deshay.
St. Lucy's coach Sean Douglas: "I don't think we played as fresh as I would have liked. But South Hills has a way of doing that. They lost their big hitter in warmups, but they are a solid team, and they are always going to push back. We needed to play a little better."
South Hills coach Charm Doyle: "My senior middle blocker getting hurt in warmup, that was huge. But I'm proud the way my girls played. They stayed with (St. Lucy's) that much ... I'm just very proud of them."
OTHER SCORES
Baseline League
Los Osos def. Glendora, 25-19, 25-18, 25-21
Hacienda League
Bonita def. West Covina, 25-9, 25-10, 25-7
Los Altos def. Diamond Ranch, 25-18, 25-15, 23-25, 25-19
Montview League
Gladstone def. Sierra Vista, 17-25, 25-9, 25-15, 25-10
Azusa def. Duarte, 25-17, 23-25, 19-25, 25-18, 15-10
Sierra League
Ayala def. Charter Oak, 25-8, 25-19, 25-20
All the Regents are smiling these days after St. Lucy's began the week ranked No. 1 in the area and No. 2 in CIF-SS Division 2-AA.
St. Lucy's, which beat traditional power South Hills in four games on Tuesday, remained atop of the area girls volleyball rankings. But the Regents will get a challenge on Thursday when they travel to No. 2 Chino Hills.
TOP 10
1. St. Lucy's (9-5) -- The Regents are still the team to beat. They caught a break when South Hills' Jackie Valle-Acosta injured her knee during warmups of the teams' Sierra League opener on Tuesday. But they are expected to be challenged against No. 2 Chino Hills on Thursday.
2. Chino Hills (16-4) -- The Huskies are enjoying one of the better starts in the program's history. But will that be enough to beat St. Lucy's.
3. Bonita (12-3) -- The Bearcats got some revenge last week, beating rival Los Altos in four games. Now it's all about taking care of business.
4. South Hills (7-2) -- Losing Valle-Acosta will be a major hit for the Huskies, who still look strong with Marisa Gomez and Whitney Deshay.
5. Los Altos (8-3) -- Failed to close against Bonita. The Conquerors hope to change that in the rematch.
6. Glendora (5-2) -- The Tartans went 3-0 last week, but opened Baseline League play by being swept by favorite Los Osos.
7. San Dimas (12-4) -- The Saints have rolled through the early portion of the Valle Vista League schedule.
8. Diamond Bar (12-7) -- Consistency is a big problem for the Brahmas, who swept one opponent last week, but also got swept.
9. Bishop Amat (7-3) -- The Lancers went 3 for 3 last week, but might struggle in the Del Rey League.
10. Gladstone (7-4) -- The Gladiators took early control in the Montview League with wins over Ganesha and La Puente last week.
Note: Records are those reported to this newspaper and are through matches played Oct. 2. Rankings are based on matches played through Oct. 2.
1. Bishop Amat (5-0) -- Lancers closed up shop by halftime against previously unbeaten Damien and Cathedral. They're still No. 4 in the Pac-5 poll, and are outscoring their opponents by a 26-point margin, averaging 34 points while allowing just eight per game. Until Bishop Amat loses, there is no debate for No. 1, not unless Chino Hills can replay their 24-12 loss to Corona Santiago.
2. Chino Hills (4-1) -- The Huskies have done something that West Covina, Diamond Ranch, South Hills and Charter Oak have been unable to do in recent years. They scheduled up and won. Anyone can make a tough schedule, but doing something with it, as in wins over Tesoro and Redlands East Valley, is why the Huskies climbed to No. 3 in the Inland Poll.
3. Bonita (4-0) -- The much anticipated season debut of Garrett Pendleton, injured prior to the season, takes place this week at Diamond Bar. The 'Cats have done fine without him, partly because of a much improved defense, but now lets see if Pendleton can shake the rust and make the 'Cats a real contender in the Hacienda.
4. West Covina (4-1) -- The Bulldogs are scoring at will, 35 on Venice, 42 on South Hills, 33 on Glendora and 41 in the Hacienda league opener against Walnut. As long as their defense stays consistent, nobody left on the schedule can slow these guys down. Can they?
5. Glendora (4-1) -- Can use the bye week after going to Lynwood and getting it done. Next week we begin to find out how the Tartans will fare in the Baseline.
6. Charter Oak (3-2) -- QB Josiah Thropay did enough to help the Chargers over Santa Fe, but the credit goes to their defense, earning a big shutout. The Chargers have a week off before the Sierra, with starting QB Travis Santiago set to return after an ankle sprain.
7. Claremont (4-1) -- The Wolfpack have a week off, then open the Sierra against Chino Hills. The way these two have played, won't be a surprise if the outcome eventually decides the league title.
8. Rowland (4-1) -- The Raiders find out what their made of at home against West Covina on Friday. The question is, can they score enough to keep up with the run-happy Bulldogs.
9. Azusa (4-0) -- Any way you slice it, the Aztecs are averaging 35 points while allowing just 2.5 points per game. That's a 33 point margin, which also includes three shutouts.
10. Damien (3-1) -- Solid win over El Dorado. Except for their huge stumble against No. 1 Bishop Amat, the Spartans have been impressive, which includes a win at Diamond Ranch.
The Rest: 11. Ayala (4-1), 12. San Dimas (3-2), 13. Covina (4-1), 14. Arroyo (3-1), 15. Diamond Ranch (2-3), 16. South Hills (1-3); 17. Diamond Bar (4-1). 18. Walnut (2-2), 19. Wilson (3-1), 20. Sierra Vista (4-0), 21. Baldwin Park (1-4), 22. Rosemead (2-2), 23. Pomona (3-2), 24. La Puente (2-2), 25. Ganesha (2-2), 26. Nogales (1-4), 27. El Monte (1-3); 28. Los Altos (0-5), 29. Gladstone (1-3), 30. South El Monte (1-3), 31. Mountain View (2-2), 32. Northview (0-4), 33. Workman (1-3), 34. Bassett (1-3), 35. Duarte (0-3)
More on Debate: In our Bishop Amat, Chino Hills debate, Aram also said there's an "argument" over who has the toughest division in Southern California, the Inland or Pac-5. At the beginning of the season Aram said the Pac-5 is the toughest division in the country, and with three leagues in the MaxPreps' top ten leagues in America rankings, he's probably right. So why now is there an "argument" or "debate" over the best division, Inland or Pac-5? For MaxPreps top ten ranked divisions in the country, click thread...
Sondheimer also wrote: One of the athletes involved, Todd Hunt, a transfer from a school in Connecticut, has a CIF appeal hearing scheduled for Tuesday. He has been seeking a hardship waiver of transfer rules, and his story is sad and compelling. He had a brother stabbed to death. The police chief in his hometown of Norwalk, Conn., has written a letter indicating that Hunt's life could be in jeopardy if he returned to the area. That's a clear hardship to me. But Hunt moved in with the family of Mater Dei quarterback Max Wittek, who he knew in Connecticut, and I assume Staunton decided it was an athletically motivated decision.
Robledo: This is one of my beef's with the "athletically motivated" rule and how CIF interprets it. I'm assuming CIF felt Hunt's move was in "part" athletically motivated because he knew the QB from his hometown and moved in with him. But shouldn't the fact his brother was killed and the police chief is on record saying his life could be in danger if he remained outweigh whether or not CIF believes it's an athletically motivated transfer? Now, don't feel sorry for Mater Dei, but these decisions by CIF continue to amaze. Not surprising is the letter below, CIF upset than anyone would dare challenge one of their decisions. It's about time, it's not about knowing what the policies are, as Staunton states, it's about how CIF chooses to enforce and interpret them is what upsets so many schools. Staunton also suggests the section is available to hear any complaints or allegations. The problem is sometimes is takes forever for CIF to set hearing dates, so the kids suffer on the sidelines without their day in court. Well, now, Mater Dei has sped up that process, what's wrong with that?
CIF issues a press release as it relates to the lawsuit: The CIF Southern Section office expresses its disappointment at the filing of a lawsuit by the Diocese of Orange contending unfair treatment of Mater Dei High School. "Mater Dei has been a long standing member of CIF-Southern Section and is clearly aware of our policies," stated CIF Southern Section Commissioner Dr. Jim Staunton. "If Mater Dei had concerns about eligibility decisions, they had several channels of communication to express those concerns. Why they did not exercise their options as members is baffling." The Section maintains open lines of communication with all member schools including Mater Dei High School yet this lawsuit is the first indication of any dissatisfaction of the application of the rules. During the history of the organization including the sixty years Mater Dei High School has been a member of CIF-Southern Section, the rules have been enforced and applied without prejudice or malice against any of its members. The Section is confused that one of the most successful school athletic programs in the Section would make a claim of disproportionate treatment by the organization. The Office is available to hear any complaints or allegations, as is the Southern Section Executive Committee, yet the Diocese of Orange has filed this suit without prior communication to the Southern Section Office. "While the CIF-SS never wishes to be involved in litigation with one of our member schools, we look forward to demonstrating the fair and equal application of our rules on behalf of all our membership," added Staunton.
Continue reading Coffin Prank strains Covina-Northview football rivalry in wake of deaths .
Tomorrow, Aram and I will discuss Rowland vs. West Covina
Steve and I will go head-to-head in Tribskin Pick'em throughout the season for our annual dinner bet. I lead the overall series, two years to one.
Last Week: Robledo (15-5); Ramirez (15-5).
Season: Robledo (82-28); Ramirez (77-33).
Last week: We're both losing too many games each week, part of the unpredictability with so much parity in the Valley, probably the most we've seen in a while. Steve and I both missed taking South Hills over Monrovia and Rosemead over San Gabriel. Steve had a chance to gain ground, because I also lost taking Diamond Bar over Diamond Ranch, Workman over Gladstone and Pomona over Baldwin Park (what was I thinking). While Steve picked up those three on me, he gave it right back by taking South El Monte over Temple City, Ayala over St. Paul and Bassett over Ganesha (why?). What an ugly 15-5 week from both of us.
This week: Only 18 games on the schedule, plenty of teams using their bye week after zero week games. The entire Sierra League is off with the exception of Damien playing a non-league game against undefeated JSerra (4-0), but the game of the week without a doubt is West Covina at Rowland. The problem I have with Rowland is the same with everyone else in league, nobody is going to stop the Bulldogs' running game. You have to outscore them, and nobody is going to outscore them, simple as that. Sierra Vista and Azusa shapes up as a game of the week, both 4-0 and 1-0, both ranked in the Mid-Valley top ten, but that's all on paper. The Aztecs will probably win by three touchdowns or more. Though I think Sierra Vista will do enough to finish third in the Montview when all is said and done, Azusa is too tall a task the way they're playing. How about Baldwin Park at San Dimas. The Braves can go from the outhouse to the penthouse just like that, but don't bank on it. I'm taking San Dimas, using the stupid analogy that San Dimas beat Monrovia, Monroiva beat South Hills, and South Hills beat Baldwin Park. Fair enough? Wilson's league opener against Covina is interesting. Colts QB Billy Livingston is banged up, but he will play. In a toss-up, I'm going with the team that beat West Covina ... Covina. I'm still not on the Ranch bandwagon, guessing they will have a letdown and Walnut takes advantage.
Note: Steve will update his picks this afternoon.
This week's games and predictions.
Friday
Bonita at Diamond Bar, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Bonita); Ramirez (Bonita)
Diamond Ranch at Walnut, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Walnut); Ramirez (Walnut)
West Covina at Rowland, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (WCovina); Ramirez (Rowland)
Bassett at Duarte, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Bassett); Ramirez (Bassett)
Sierra Vista vs. Azusa at Citrus College, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Azusa); Ramirez (Azusa)
Workman at La Puente, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (La Puente); Ramirez (La Puente)
Baldwin Park at San Dimas, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (SDimas); Ramirez (San Dimas)
Covina vs. Wilson at Covina District Stadium, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Covina); Ramirez (Covina)
Northview at Pomona, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Pomona); Ramirez (Northview)
Bell Gardens at South El Monte, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Bell Gardens); Ramirez (Bell Gardens)
Chino at El Monte, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Chino); Ramirez (Chino)
JSerra at Damien, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (JSerra); Ramirez (JSerra)
La Canada at Arroyo, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Arroyo); Ramirez (Arroyo)
Rosemead at Temple City, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Rosemead); Ramirez (Rosemead)
Venice at Bishop Amat, 7:30 p.m. -- Robledo (BAmat); Ramirez (Bishop Amat)
South Hills at Los Osos, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Los Osos); Ramirez (Los Osos)
Gladstone at Ganesha, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (Ganesha); Ramirez (Ganesha)Saturday
Mountain View vs. Bellarmine-Jefferson at Burroughs, 7 p.m. -- Robledo (MView); Ramirez (MView)
Because of tight deadlines and no working area at Cathedral, correspondent Scott French had plenty of leftover material From Bishop Amat's 53-6 win Friday to improve to 5-0. Here is what he sent for you to soak up and digest...
Wallace watch: Four passes thrown to Wallace Gonzalez. Two were rainbow lobs that got past him, one a bullet that he dropped, and the other -- the only completion -- went for 39 yards. He also was flagged for two of the eight penalties. Brock Booth, cleared last week, also played.
Bishop Amat coach Steve Hagerty on Gonzalez/Booth: "What I think happens is as we move into our league season, maybe there's more to defend, maybe there's more that teams have to pay attention to, but I don't think tonight was really anything. They're rusty,. It's like game one for them. They've got to get caught up quick."
QB Rio Ruiz on Gonzalez/Booth: "We're going to be a team to be reckoned with. Wallace and Brock add a big pass threat for defenses."
Hagerty on Rio Ruiz: "Mentally he's a lot sharper than (at the start of the season). He's making good choices, and he's putting us in good situations, which to the subtle eye you're not going to notice, but it's just going to look like he handed off, but what he did is he changed a play where they overadjusted to something, and he got us in a good one. He's starting to pick that stuff up."
Hagerty on Jalen Moore: "He's deceivingly strong, but he also can run the ball well. We kid him because he thinks he's a scatback and he makes too many cuts, when he's a much more punishing ballcarrier than he knows. So we like him getting vertical on the field with his shoulder pads forward and tilted much more than working side to side. That's more Zach (Shay)'s game. We love that Jalen is emerging into what we all thought he could be. But we've got a long way ahead of us."
Rio Ruiz on Jalen Moore: "Jalen's just having a helluva year. He's doing so well. ... You've got to give credit to the line. We reward their dirty work with touchdowns."
Defense: Cathedral QB Hayden Rettig was 13 of 35 for 120 yards with three interceptions (two by Ajee Montes, who returned one 34 yards for a TD). Rettig had just 46 yards passing at halftime (on 8 of 23) and 48 until the final play of the third quarter.
Hagerty on the pass defense: "We haven't defended the pass real well in the past, but I think we geared up tonight because we knew they were going to throw it, and I think we did a much better job."
For the very best area cross country news follow Bob Ramsey at SGVtrackandfield.net: With this week's cluster meets and many teams competing on the weekend, almost every SGV Cross Country team competed this week. The top performance came from the top-ranked Claremont boys, who set a course record in dominating their first Sierra League meet. The Bonita girls and Rowland boys showed their strength in the new Hacienda League. Covina won both sides of the enlarged Valle Vista League, while the Montview League was paced by La Puente (b) and Sierra Vista (g).
Rankings: Check out this link, ranks top boys and girls cross country runners in the San Gabriel Valley
SGV Boys Leaders
1. 15:46 Anthony Castro (Sr-Glendora) - Top Speed: 3m, deep grass, rolling
2. 15:11 Dillon Nobbs (Fr-Bonita) - Stauffer: 3 miles, flat, mostly paved
3. 15:55 Kelly Hernandez (Sr-GHS) - Top Speed
4. 16:04 Paul Ross (Sr-Claremont) - Sierra #1: 5k, mostly paved, rolling
5. 16:04 Colin Domonoske (Sr-CHS) - Sierra #1
6. 16:10 A.K. Metoyer (Sr-CHS) - Sierra #1
7. 16:14 Henry Falotico (Sr-CHS) - Sierra #1
8. 16:14 David Galvez (So-Rowland) - Hacienda #1: Top Speed Course
9. 16:27 Tom Ebiner (Jr-Damien) - Sierra #1
10. 16:20 Moses Baiden (Jr-DHS) - Top Speed
SGV Girls Leaders
1. 18:23 Lauren Justus (Sr-Glendora) - Top Speed: 3m, deep grass, rolling
2. 17:46 Marissa Scott (So-Bonita) - Stauffer: 3 miles, flat, mostly paved
3. 19:12 Alex Borunda (Sr-South Hills) - Top Speed
4. 18:23 Mikayla Flores (Fr-BHS) - Stauffer
5. 18:24 Lexie Jackson (So-BHS) - Stauffer
6. 19:21 Vianca Holguin (Sr-SHHS) - Top Speed
7. 19:37 Merin Arft (Fr-Claremont) - Sierra #1: 5k, mostly paved, rolling
8. 19:48 Carly Lake (Jr-Charter Oak) - Sierra #1
9. 19:43 Baily Sanin (So-CHS) - Sierra #1
10. 20:00 Taylor Hebb (Sr-St. Lucy's) - Sierra #1
Note: This list does not include runners from Ayala, Claremont or Chino HIlls.
Anything and anyone you want to talk about: Roddy Layton conveniently didn't return phone calls last week, probably not wanting to hype the Panthers-Brahmas game any more than he already had. But he was in fully Roddy mode after Friday's win, along with other quotables from the weekend.
"We've got their posters that they put up around campus that says, 'Rivalry Week: Diamond Bar vs. Diamond Ranch.' Diamond Bar High is our rivalry and they know that we're their rival." -- Diamond Ranch coach Roddy Layton after 41-0 win over Diamond Bar.
"When asked why he felt Diamond Bar was averse to playing his team for so long, Layton simply turned and looked at the scoreboard, which was now dark but once read 41-0." -- Aram Tolegian in Saturday's column.
"It's not rocket science. If you hold on to the ball and create turnovers, you will win the football game." -- Ganesha coach David Fleming after 69-14 win over Bassett.
"League is a whole new season. We still have a lot of work to do but I'm proud of our kids. They deserved this win." -- Baldwin Park coach James Heggins after 33-7 win over Pomona, the Braves first after 0-4 start in VVL opener.
"I hope they don't think we were trying to run it up. We've got a (heck) of a ballgame coming up next week against West Covina and we needed to get some work." -- Rowland coach Craig Snyder following the Raiders' 44-6 win over Los Altos.
"We wanted to come out and make a statement. The kids needed to know that they could compete and win at this level against the best. I thought we took it to them and played physically." Chino Hills coach Derek Bub after 14-3 win over Redlands East Valley.
"(Wide Receiver) Andrew Aguirre, with his speed, was the different tonight with some big plays. But we have to get a lot better on offense or else it's going to be a long road for us, no question about it." -- Damien coach Greg Gano following 27-7 win over El Dorado.
"We play Bye High School, and we usually beat them." -- Bonita coach Eric Podley in response to Aram's question of "Who do you guys have this week?"
"Who is going to score more points tonight, Diamond Ranch or Bishop Amat? Panthers just took a 41-40 lead. Now I know why they went for two." -- Commenter Chaleko on Coveritlive with Mike trying to make sense of Friday's blowouts during the live Q@A.
This week's games
Friday
South Hills at Los Osos, 7 p.m.
Bonita at Diamond Bar, 7 p.m.
Diamond Ranch at Walnut, 7 p.m.
West Covina at Rowland, 7 p.m.
Bassett at Duarte, 7 p.m.
Sierra Vista vs. Azusa at Citrus College, 7 p.m.
Workman at La Puente, 7 p.m.
Baldwin Park at San Dimas, 7 p.m.
Covina vs. Wilson at Covina District Stadium, 7 p.m.
Northview at Pomona, 7 p.m.
Bell Gardens at South El Monte, 7 p.m.
Chino at El Monte, 7 p.m.
JSerra at Damien, 7 p.m.
La Canada at Arroyo, 7 p.m.
Rosemead at Temple City, 7 p.m.
Venice at Bishop Amat, 7:30 p.m.
Gladstone at Ganesha, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Mountain View vs. Bellarmine-Jefferson at Burroughs, 7 p.m.
Friday's results
Bishop Amat 53, Cathedral 6 -- For those of you who beat the parking situation at Cathedral, look at the offense roll now. Rio Ruiz threw for 245 yards in the first half, then basically shut it down. Jalen Moore rushed for 138 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Lancers scored on their first five possessions. I'm starting to believe their No. 4 ranking in the Pac-5 is well deserved.
Chino Hills 14, Redlands East Valley 3 -- This is probably the most surprising result of the night. Let's make this clear, there is a huge gap between the Huskies and the rest of the Sierra.
Diamond Ranch 41, Diamond Bar 0 -- And I thought the Hacienda was coming down to West Covina, Bonita and Rowland. Wow, Roddy's Panthers flip the switch again.
Rowland 44, Los Altos 6 -- Not a surprise, the Raiders expected a win, a blowout is just a bonus.
Damien 27, El Dorado 7 -- Impressive after 42-7 loss to Bishop Amat. What do you make of it, after all, the Spartans are 3-1. And that victory over Diamond Ranch looks much better after tonight.
West Covina 41, Walnut 24 -- The Mustangs hung for a while, but the Bulldogs eventually pulled away.
Azusa 28, La Puente 0 -- Three shutouts in four games while outscoring their opponents 141-10. You want to say they have a weak schedule. I say talk to the scoreboard.
Ganesha 69, Bassett 14 -- I wonder if Azusa is looking at the new tenant in the Monview and going, hmmmm.
Gladstone 39, Workman 7 -- With only two guaranteed Montview playoff spots, every win is precious.
Sierra Vista 41, Duarte 6 -- Don't look now, but the Dons are 4-0, just like Azusa heading into next week's meeting at Citrus.
Covina 14, Northview 11 -- Raise your hand if you thought the Colts would win in more convincing fashion. Maybe the rivalry had something to do with it.
Baldwin Park 33, Pomona 7 -- This is exactly why I picked the 0-4 Braves to finish second in the Valle Vista League. You knew they were better than their results had shown.
San Dimas 40, Nogales 12 -- Saints warming up for next week's showdown with Baldwin Park.
Wilson 26, El Monte 20 -- A great start for the Wildcats heading into the Valle Vista next week.
Mountain View 40, Keppel 0 -- Exactly what you expected, right.
San Gabriel 48, Rosemead 20 -- Impressive win by the Matadors; a scratch-your-head loss by the Panthers.
Charter Oak 17, Santa Fe 0 -- A shutout brings back memories of the two previous years. Congrats to QB Josiah Thropay, whose long awaited debut was a winning one.
St. Paul 28, Ayala 6 -- The Bulldogs finally played a tester, and the results weren't that good.
Temple City 27, South El Monte 6 -- With the way the Rams have struggled, would classify it as a mild surprise.
The Inland Insider's post-game wrapp-up and interviews following Chino Hills' huge win over Redlands East Valley.
Tribune highlights and interviews following Azusa's 28-0 win over La Puente
Links
Tribune Prep Sports
Miguel Melendez's prep blog
In the Huddle
ESPN
OC Varsity
San Bernardino Sun Preps
LA times Varsity Blog
Daily Bulletin Preps
Whittier Daily News Preps
LA Daily News Preps
Long Beach Press Telegram Preps
Daily Breeze Preps
Dyestat Track and Cross Country
MaxPreps
Rivals.Com
College Level Athletes
Miguel Melendez's prep blog
In the Huddle
ESPN
OC Varsity
San Bernardino Sun Preps
LA times Varsity Blog
Daily Bulletin Preps
Whittier Daily News Preps
LA Daily News Preps
Long Beach Press Telegram Preps
Daily Breeze Preps
Dyestat Track and Cross Country
MaxPreps
Rivals.Com
College Level Athletes
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